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Starlink Now Own a Quarter of All Active Satellites
An analysis of satellite data shows Elon Musk‘s dominance
For most of the speech he is clearly nervous. He pauses, stumbling over his words, his voice quavering as he checks his notes. For a few lines, though, his voice is steady, his tone conversational, his eyes bright. These are the important ones, the lines that will later change the world.
The speaker is Elon Musk, and the year 2003. Thirty-two years old, he is a millionaire, though not yet a household name. He already has one major business success under his belt, founding the company that would later become PayPal, and receiving tens of millions from its sale to eBay.
Some might be satisfied with that success and call it a day, but not Musk. He is already dreaming of something bigger. His speech outlines an idea, a mad one, to send a greenhouse to Mars. It could be done for $15 million, he thinks, if only he could find a cheap ticket to orbit.
Therein lies the problem. The cheapest rocket available in America is $50 million a shot, half his fortune. The only other option is Russia, but Musk soon turns back, the risks too high for him to accept. This being Elon Musk, of course, there is a third option.
