The latest public description was a "UFO on a stick".https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1214548764054216704
Ok, so I understand the UFO on a stick (antenna/receiver). Will it replace the modem? Will it connect to the modem? Will it have a modem and router built in? Lots of questions as to what type equipment we will need or whether it will work with your existing equipment.
This is quite disappointing. First it seems much more fragile, up on a stick, more susceptible to wind. Second, do the motors mean it tracks as the satellite moves across the sky? Motors will eventually wear out if they are constantly moving like that. Third this means the antenna cannot be mounted on a moving vehicle like a car or boat.
MATERIALS PROCESS ENGINEER - HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTINGHawthorne, CA, United StatesSpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.MATERIALS PROCESS ENGINEER, HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTINGThis role would be on the materials engineering team, supporting high pressure die casting. The materials engineering team supports materials across SpaceX via identification, development, and implementation of advanced materials and processes. You will work closely with our engineering teams in the early phases of high pressure die casting process development and equipment commissioning to drive the development of aluminum die casting at the company, including the future integration and commissioning of a die-casting foundry at SpaceX. Through your work in this role, you will be enabling SpaceX to manufacture a truly unique product line of user terminals to connect people on Earth with Starlink satellite internet.
I am worried about trees myself. I have good internet from charter, but if the price is right and I can get /54 ipv6 prefix from starlink, then I will happily jump ship. However I have four large trees surrounding my 2 story house, leaving maybe 50% of the sky obscured. My parents, who have no good alternatives live in a hardwood forest with trees on the order of 120ft tall.
Quote from: 2megs on 02/04/2020 12:36 amThe latest public description was a "UFO on a stick".https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1214548764054216704This is quite disappointing. First it seems much more fragile, up on a stick, more susceptible to wind. Second, do the motors mean it tracks as the satellite moves across the sky? Motors will eventually wear out if they are constantly moving like that. Third this means the antenna cannot be mounted on a moving vehicle like a car or boat.
Quote from: Roy_H on 02/09/2020 06:25 amQuote from: 2megs on 02/04/2020 12:36 amThe latest public description was a "UFO on a stick".https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1214548764054216704This is quite disappointing. First it seems much more fragile, up on a stick, more susceptible to wind. Second, do the motors mean it tracks as the satellite moves across the sky? Motors will eventually wear out if they are constantly moving like that. Third this means the antenna cannot be mounted on a moving vehicle like a car or boat.Array antenna has angular limitations for digital steering of the signal beam (signal "beam forming"). Motors do target tracking ("search" in military lingo)i.e. they position antenna in approximate angle calculated by the tracking software, and array does beam acquisition ("targeting") i.e. it tunes phases of all array elements to form a digital beam, do handshake and perform transmission. Digital part is really fast, so motor needs to be a simple step motor and to have simple sturdy bearing capable to do slow movements of the ~1kg object with sufficient resilience. There are no issues to have such antennas on the planes (and the tests where successful) so no problems of their use on the ground vehicles to be expected.It is nothing like sat optical tracking systems one can see today. Mechanical part is significantly simpler.