Satellite Internet constellations (“SICs”) promise to connect the world, finally delivering on the promise of global connectivity. This Note explains why SICs will only achieve their maximum potential with the adoption of free space optical (“FSO”) communication technologies, which provide massive bandwidth and interference benefits over radio. FSO will yield the greatest possible benefits with standardization through a formal standard development organization. Standardized, with the ability to communicate, collaborate, and consolidate, SICs will provide the greatest coverage and fastest speeds to their consumers. While SIC consolidation will proffer many benefits, it will also bear risks, as large players exert outsized market influence and reduce innovation. Geopolitical competition will make universal standards unlikely, necessitating national and international collaboration.
This paper originated in the 2023 IILJ Space and Planetary Colloquium. It was published in the NYU Journal of Legislation & Public Policy, Volume 26, Issue 4.
