Independent Satellite Internet Coverage. Mega-constellations, direct-to-cell, spectrum fights, and the business of connecting the world from low Earth orbit. An editorially independent publication — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to SpaceX/Starlink or any company mentioned.
The Hardware Problem: Why User Terminals Still Define the LEO Broadband Race
The single biggest barrier to scaling LEO broadband has never been rockets or spectrum — it is the cost of putting a flat-panel phased-array antenna on every rooftop.
Fifty Kilometers Too High: How Orbital Altitude Is Becoming a Competitive Weapon
SpaceX and Amazon are fighting at the FCC over orbital insertion altitudes—a dispute that looks like a safety argument but is equally about spectrum priority and competitive positioning.
The Sovereign Anchor: Inside Telesat Lightspeed's Military Ka-Band Pivot
Telesat’s decision to dedicate a slice of every Lightspeed satellite to military Ka-band isn’t just a business pivot — it exposes a structural problem facing any LEO operator that lacks a tech giant’s balance sheet or its own launch vehicle.
Above the Glass: Why Optical Inter-Satellite Links Are Reshaping LEO Architecture
Optical inter-satellite links exploit a basic fact of physics to build a space-based internet backbone — and every serious LEO constellation now has to have them.
OneWeb, Eutelsat, and the Case for a Hybrid Constellation
Eutelsat OneWeb is betting that combining low Earth orbit with geostationary satellites beats going all-in on either — a different theory of the market.
Amazon's Kuiper and the Cost of Being Second
Project Kuiper enters a market where a rival already has satellites, subscribers, and a head start — so its real challenge is not technology but timing.
Direct-to-Cell Is the Riskiest Bet in Satellite Internet
Turning an ordinary phone into a satellite terminal is the most ambitious promise in orbital connectivity — and the one most constrained by physics.
The Coming Fight Over Low Earth Orbit
As constellations multiply, the binding constraints on satellite internet are shifting from rockets and radios to orbital slots, spectrum rights, and collision risk.
Welcome to Orbital Uplink
An independent home for tracking the satellite internet industry — the constellations, the economics, and the policy fights behind broadband from orbit.