Starlink, the internet service of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is leading the way: The company’s satellite voice and data communication solution is proving its worth in the war in Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) is proving to be not only a military necessity, but also robust enough to maintain the troops’ indispensable flow of communication and information – despite considerable Russian attempts at interference.
It is therefore no wonder that the topic is also becoming increasingly hot in other armed forces. For example, the Pentagon is currently increasing spending on satellite internet services in low earth orbit (LEO) by more than tenfold and SpaceX has already been able to capitalize on its involvement in Ukraine: just one year after the start of Russia’s war of aggression, the company was delighted to sign its first contract with the United States Space Force for the new Starshield military satellite constellation. However, the US military’s need for fast satellite internet is exponential. The first contract for around 70 million euros, together with a Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) Satellite-Based Services program starting in 2023, with a budget cap of 900 million euros over ten years, is already at an expenditure of around 650 million euros, just one year after the start of the contract.
As a result, the budget for satellite-based services is now being increased by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and Space Systems Command from around 900 million euros to more than twelve billion euros. All branches of the armed forces, in particular the US Navy (-> current news about the US armed forces), are benefiting from this development.
For decades, geostationary satellites – at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers above the equator – were the backbone of the US Navy’s global satellite communications link. The advantage of the large coverage area came at the cost of slow data rates. In the age of “network-centric warfare”, however, this is no longer acceptable. The US Navy has therefore launched the SEA2 program (Sailor Edge Afloat and Ashore). High-speed internet via the Starlink network in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 600 to 1,200 kilometers drastically reduces latency times and enables significantly faster internet speeds. Improved connectivity plays a decisive role in the seamless planning and coordination of operations, and not just for the military. Crews, often separated from home for months at a time, can also use these connections for entertainment and communication with family and friends in their free time.
According to the US Navy, reliable internet connections lead to better work productivity and increase the morale of soldiers. The German army is probably hoping for something similar army is hoping for something similar from its planned “conquest of space”. In the coming years, the red-white-red armed forces want to develop from a pure user to an operator and provider of space infrastructure and services.
Here for more news about the US armed forces.
