Short · Space and networks
Why does Starlink feel so fast?
Light is fast, but space is big. See why a satellite 36,000 km up adds half a second to every click, and why dropping to about 500 km means you need thousands of satellites.
Play with this now
Opens Low Orbit Internet. Change the same thing yourself.
Transcript
Why does Starlink feel so much faster than old satellite internet? Light is fast, but space is big. Traditional internet satellites sit thirty-six thousand kilometers up, so every click goes up, down, and back again. Half a second, gone. Drop the orbit to about five hundred kilometers, and that trip takes under ten milliseconds. The catch? Low satellites race past in minutes, so you need thousands, passing your signal along. Play with this now at Explainer Tools dot com.