Elon Musk 'to launch fleet of internet satellites'

Billionaire entrepreneur is reportedly working on an ambitious project to launch around 700 internet satellites into low-Earth orbit and bring internet connections to the developing world

Elon Musk, inventor and business magnate
Elon Musk, inventor and business magnate Photo: © Alamy

Elon Musk is planning to launch a fleet of satellites into space with the intention of delivering internet access around the world, according to a new report.

The billionaire entrepreneur has teamed up with former Google executive Greg Wyler, founder of WorldVu Satellites, to carry out the project, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

The plan is to launch around 700 small satellites into low-Earth orbit. Each satellite will weigh less than 250lbs (113kg) and cost under $1 million (£629,000), according to people familiar with WorldVu's plans.

WorldVu controls a large block of radio spectrum in the Ku band, communicating in the microwave range of frequencies (12-18 GHz), which would be used to deliver internet access in underserved communities.

Like many of Mr Musk's ventures – such as his SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and his Hyperloop high-speed transportation system – the internet satellite project is wildly ambitious.

The smallest communications satellites currently in use weigh around 500lbs and cost several million dollars each, and the largest existing satellite constellation – managed by Iridium Communications – is around a tenth of the size of Musk's proposed fleet.

WSJ notes that the project is likely to face large financial, technical and regulatory hurdles, and industry officials estimate that it would cost $1 billion or more to develop the project.

However, Mr Musk and Mr Wyler are reportedly already in talks with state officials in Florida and Colorado about building a factory to make satellites, and SpaceX could potentially launch the satellites using its Falcon 9 rockets.

If the project goes ahead, Mr Musk will face stiff competition from tech giants Facebook and Google, both if which have announced plans to deliver internet access to remote parts of the world using satellites.

Facebook hopes to expand its reach – particularly in the developing world – by dispatching a fleet of solar-powered aircraft and satellites which would emit infrared laser beams to speed up internet connections.

Meanwhile, Google recently revealed plans to invest more than $1 billion (£597m) in a fleet of satellites to bring the internet to parts of the world that are currently unconnected. Mr Wyler was briefly involved in the project, before leaving to work with Mr Musk.

 

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2014

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11220326/Elon-Musk-to-launch-fleet-of-internet-satellites.html