Internet Satellites: Elon Musk’s Next Mission by Brady Bunte

Elon Musk makes electric cars, rockets, batteries. and solar panels said Brady Bunte.  Now, he is adding satellites and looking at ways to make them  smaller, less-expensive models that can deliver Internet access worldwide, added  Brady Bunte.  Greg Wyler, a satellite-industry veteran and former Google Inc. executive, is Musk's pick as a partner.  Mr. Wyler founded WorldVu Satellites Ltd., which controls a large block of radio spectrum and plans to have 360 satellites in orbit to offer global internet broadband service to each consumer as early as 2019.

Musk's goal however  is to have 700 satellites each weighing less than 250 pounds, noted Brady Bunte. That will be half the size of the current  smallest communications satellites  in commercial use now and ten times the size of the fleet. The satellite constellation would be managed by Iridium Communications Inc. The current  smallest communications satellites now cost several million dollars and  weigh about 500 pounds. The goal is to lower the cost to  manufacture the new satellites for less than  $1 million, Brady Bunte  explained.

The project would have many financial, technical and regulatory challenges and would cost well over a $1 billion  to develop. Musk and Wyler would build a factory to manufacture the satellites, said Brady Bunte. Initial talks have been held with Florida and Colorado state officials about a  site for the manufacturing facility.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX, would  most likely launch the fleet of  satellites, stated  Brady Bunte, though no commitments have been made at this time. Musk has launched  Falcon 9 rockets  a dozen times in the past five years and has four more launches slated  through 2018 also has won a $2.6 billion NASA contract to develop, test and fly space taxis to carry U.S. astronauts into orbit.

Brady Bunte explained , that If Musk and Wyler do build the satellites, they are going to face stiff competition from other small  satellites manufactures, such as Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corp.

Lastly, Musk and Wyler would have no trouble finding investors tech giants  like Google, Facebook and Amazon willing to invests to unwired parts of the globe, through drones, balloons according to Brady Bunte.

Contact:
Brady Bunte
303 Broadway St,
Laguna Beach, California 92651
949-450-1818
bradybunte@mail.com
http://bradybunte.com/