It's quite amazing how this values SpaceX at 10bn, less than 50% of WhatsApp. This makes me think that there's something systemically wrong with the current incarnation of post-oligarchic shareholder-controlled short term interest based capitalism. One can argue that WhatsApp has better money making potential than SpaceX, but that is only because the whole system is warped.
Having just finished watching The Men Who Built America[1], Musk reminds me so much of the great American entrepreneurs of the last 200 years (Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Morgan, Ford, Carnegie). Ridiculously ambitious and fearless entrepreneurs who literally by sheer force of will moved humanity forward.<p>[1]<a href="http://www.history.com/shows/men-who-built-america" rel="nofollow">http://www.history.com/shows/men-who-built-america</a> (available on Netflix)
I've been wondering if part of this SpaceX satellite gambit is to help Tesla Motors. Think about it: if and when there are 500,000 or a million or several million Tesla vehicles (including the Model 3) all over the world, plus thousands of SuperChargers, and they all need to be connected to the Net for messaging and value-added services, then what better way than to just have 'em connect to the SpaceX service?<p>Right now Tesla Model S vehicles connect via AT&T (at least in the US, don't know what the carriers are in other countries). It's a tiny number of "devices" connected to the network so it is probably expensive for Tesla. At some point it gets really expensive. One assumes the Model 3 will have the same always-on connection that the Model S/X has. Millions of Models S/X/3 around the world mean a lot of communications costs. And then there are the SuperChargers, that will in time no doubt be communicating with cars too, to improve the user experience.<p>I suspect a few million "devices" connected to the SpaceX version of global wifi would be way cheaper than connecting to a dozen or two carriers in countries around the world.<p>Just a theory.
Another one not behind paywall: <a href="http://gizmodo.com/report-googles-finalizing-a-1-billion-investment-in-s-1680500143" rel="nofollow">http://gizmodo.com/report-googles-finalizing-a-1-billion-inv...</a>
Makes me wish average joe could buy spacex stock. Willing investors shouldnt have to be elite or accredited. Just believers and supporters of a better future.
I am not surprised. In one of the Ted Talks, Larry Page had clearly mentioned that he would rather leave all his money to someone like Elon Musk than donating to a Charity. He is going down that path.<p>I think this is a great move by Google.<p>Source: <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_page_where_s_google_going_next?language=en" rel="nofollow">http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_page_where_s_google_going_nex...</a>
We (edit: briefly) changed the url from <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/google-nears-1-billion-investment-in-spacex-1421706642" rel="nofollow">http://www.wsj.com/articles/google-nears-1-billion-investmen...</a> because (a) this confirmation supersedes that information and (b) paywalls lead threads off-topic.<p>Edit: Never mind. So many posts of the confirmed news are popping up that there needs to be a new thread. <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8919901" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8919901</a> is a reasonable article and not behind a paywall, so it may as well be the one.
Can someone with some experience in satellites tell us what is possible in terms of satellite internet. For example, I really doubt most individual people would be able to actually connect directly through satellites. If that is the case, a satellite radio would have to detect and distinguish millions of different simultaneous data streams. I doubt there is enough spectrum for this.
I'm optimistic about satellite internet done right, but I'm worried the speeds and lag are going to make it a bit frustrating compared to fiber. In 5 years (when this will be completed), I think virtual reality will be penetrating the masses. Can satellite internet handle virtual meetings, virtual online gaming, etc without major lagging?
I'm glad that net neutrality limbo doesn't actually hurt investment in infrastructure!<p>Musk said the Internet access would be "unfettered certainly and at very low cost". <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/531996243904716800" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/531996243904716800</a><p>Hopefully there's a way around needing a satellite dish, aside from dishes that share their connection over wi-fi.
I've put up some thoughts on this and Google/SpaceX' wider rationale and would love the HN community's thoughts: <a href="https://medium.com/@pmurphyirl/why-is-satellite-internet-hot-right-now-31b658c76d1c" rel="nofollow">https://medium.com/@pmurphyirl/why-is-satellite-internet-hot...</a>
Considering satellites at that altitude and quantity would be ideal for cell handsets. I would be surprised if Apple wasn't trying to get a piece of this action as well.
via Google:
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCEQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fgoogle-nears-1-billion-investment-in-spacex-1421706642&ei=ZKy9VKboGc6oyATA2YCICA&usg=AFQjCNE_5ge3jrWUtjkXqiEHh6Mfzp0gyw&bvm=bv.83829542,d.aWw" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd...</a>