Free Internet From Space
Outernet wants to use tiny satellites to take the whole world online—even in countries where dictators wish they wouldn’t.
CubeSats are tiny, but they could one day be used to bring the Internet to millions.(Flickr/thebadastronomer)
If
all goes according to plan, North Koreans will soon have free,
uncensored Internet provided by satellites the size of toaster ovens.
That's
part of a project called Outernet, which hopes to launch hundreds of
tiny satellites—known as CubeSats—to provide Internet to every person on
Earth. Forty percent of the world's people currently don't have access
to the Web. In a little more than a year, Outernet plans to have a fleet
of 24 satellites operational and testing to pave the way for a
globe-spanning network.
The
satellites won't be providing conventional Internet right away. They'll
initially be used for one-way communication to provide services like
emergency updates, news, crop prices, and educational programs. Users
will help determine what content is offered.
The project's backers say knowledge is a human right—one
they intend to provide even in countries where dictators have thus far
limited access. "We exist to support the flow of independent news,
information, and debate that people need to build free, thriving
societies," said Peter Whitehead, president of the Media Development
Investment Fund, Outernet's backer. "It enables fuller participation in
public life, holds the powerful to account and protects the rights of
the individual."
It
will be at least five years before Outernet can offer the more
interactive Web as we know it, which allows users to both access
information and upload it, said Syed Karim, MDIF's director of
innovation.
Worldwide
Internet could be available sooner, Karim said, if telecom giants
invested in a few mega-capacity satellites like North America's ViaSat-1.
Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done,
he estimated. "We don't have $12 billion, so we'll do as much as we can
with CubeSats and broadcast data," Karim said.
How
much will it cost? Putting a 10x10x10-centimeter payload into orbit
runs more than $100,000. A 34x10x10 satellite—the biggest unit Outernet
is considering—costs more than $300,000 to launch. Now, multiply that by
hundreds of satellites. "We want to stay as small as possible, because
size and weight are directly related to dollars," Karim said. "Much of
the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed
satisfy those requirements."
To
determine the range and size of its global fleet, Outernet will have to
determine the gain on its signal. A higher gain would lower the
satellite's reach but provide faster speeds. The first fleet's testing
will help determine the right balance.
While
Outernet's engineers test and prepare for launch, they're seeking
support from those who believe in their cause. In addition to
traditional donation sources like Paypal, they're also accepting online
currencies like bitcoin and Dogecoin (bitcoin blockchains are among the
initial services the one-way signals will offer). They're also asking
NASA to let them test their technology on the International Space
Station.
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
Views: 2,349
The ‘Outernet‘ project based in New York has set out to launch numerous small satellites into space, also known as CubeSats, to
beam free and uncensored internet to the entire world. Even countries
with strict internet policies such as China and North Korea, or even
remote villages or islands in Africa are set to be able to receive it. 40% of the Worlds population currently have no access to the internet according to the project.
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]
MDIF hopes to have a full internet providing fleet of satellites by
2015. The number of satellites needed is in the hundreds. Test launches
will help govern just how many are needed and also the gain of the
signal as a higher gain (faster speeds) means a smaller range. The
research needed for the project has mostly been done in previous
satellite endeavors and research on wireless internet. The just need to
put out test parts and put the theory to the task. However, the only
thing hindering the project is the funding required.
“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
Google+
The non-profit organisation Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) plan to be launching the first satellites as Early as January 2015. These will not however be providing the internet as we know it, but will act as a one way communication method to provide services such as emergency and natural disaster updates and independent news. It will also provide educational programmes, the entirety of Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap.
[©iStockPhoto/christimateii]“We want to stay as small as possible, because size and weight are directly related to dollars,” said MDIF’s Director of Innovation, Syed Karim. “Much of the size is dictated by power requirements and the solar panels needed satisfy those requirements.”
They have calculated that the cost to send a 10x10x10 centimeter satellite into orbit costs about $100,000. The largest proposed CubeSat is 34x10x10 running up a cost to send into orbit of about $300,000. Now multiply that by a few hundred satellites and add the cost of manufacturing.
[Flickr/thebadastronomer]
The company fears that worldwide internet
will already be available by then if telecom giants invest in mega
capacity satellites. Three years and $12 billion is all it would take to get the job done, he estimated. “We don’t have $12 billion, so we’ll do as much as we can with CubeSats and broadcast data,” Karim said.
But who could not be excited at the prospect of free, uncensored, independent, worldwide internet.Google+
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