Elon Owns the Space Economy (Patreon)

Satellites are, at this point, ground zero of the space economy. Your television signal, nearly everything on your phone, and anything that relies on GPS all depend on satellites. Just as machinery and IP were the source materials for the modern economy on Earth, satellites will likely be the backbone of the space economy.

What’s driving the growth in satellites? One company: Starlink. The number of active satellites increases weekly, so it’s difficult to get up-to-the-minute data. At the end of 2022, the Union of Concerned Scientists was tracking 6,718 operational satellites — roughly half, 3,394, belonged to the SpaceX subsidiary.

And more are on the way. The FCC approved SpaceX’s bid to deploy up to 7,500 satellites for now. Starlink has plans to launch 30,000 more. The idea of one man controlling the world’s high-speed internet access is unsettling. Hawaiian Airlines and T-Mobile have already partnered with Starlink.