Starlink satellite count and speed: At a glance with Python bubble charts!

How frustrating is it to be in a remote area or in the middle of the ocean with no internet access? That's where satellite internet from Starlink comes in, and we're here to solve that problem for you. Are you curious about the number of Starlink satellites, their speeds, and the news of Starlink's launch in Korea?

In today's post, we'll use the You can learn more about the number of Starlink satellites and your internet speeds, and you can also view your own data in the Python How to visualize with bubble chartsin the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Starlink satellite count

Let's start with scale: how many Starlink satellites are over our heads?

• Number of satellites currently in operation: 5,552 (as of March 2024)
• Number of satellites launched: 5,977
• Target number of satellites: 12,000 units (with long-term plans to expand to 42,000 units)

The reason there are so many Starlink satellites is because of the nature of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites: they are in a lower orbit than traditional geostationary satellites, which allows them to offer higher speeds and lower latency.

How fast are Starlink satellites?

Satellite speeds are impressive, even when compared to traditional fixed broadband. Below is some average speed data as of Q1 2024

• United States (Fixed Broadband): 144.22 Mbps
• Canada (Fixed Broadband): 106.86 Mbps
• Mexico (Starlink): 105.91 Mbps
• United States (Starlink): 90.55 Mbps
• Puerto Rico (satellite): 20.54 Mbps

Here's some data comparing broadband internet speeds, including uploads and downloads. (Note that the data below, such as Starlink satellite speeds, is from the ookla.com ).

Visualize satellite velocity Python bubble charts

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

Define # data
data = {
    "Country/Provider": [
        "U.S. (All Providers)", "Canada (All Providers)", "Mexico (Starlink)",
        "Canada (Starlink)", "U.S. (Starlink)", "Puerto Rico (All Providers)",
        "Mexico (All Providers)", "U.S. (Viasat)", "U.S. (HughesNet)",
        "Puerto Rico (HughesNet)", "Mexico (HughesNet)"
    ],
    "Download Speed (Mbps)": [
        144.22, 106.86, 105.91, 97.40, 90.55, 68.88, 40.07, 22.31, 22.19, 20.54, 11.83
    ],
    "Upload Speed (Mbps)": [.
        20.55, 22.60, 19.10, 10.70, 9.33, 14.35, 10.04, 2.81, 2.65, 3.89, 2.69
    ],
    "Latency (ms)": [
        14, 11, 79, 55, 43, 14, 10, 628, 724, 696, 709
    ]
}

Visualize #
plt.figure(figsize=(14, 8))
plt.scatter(data["Download Speed (Mbps)"], data["Country/Provider"], color='blue', label="Download Speed (Mbps)", s=100, marker='o')
plt.scatter(data["Upload Speed (Mbps)"], data["Country/Provider"], color='purple', label="Upload Speed (Mbps)", s=100, marker='o')
plt.scatter(data["Latency (ms)"], data["Country/Provider"], color='green', label="Latency (ms)", s=100, marker='o')
plt.title('Starlink Satellite Speed Performance')
plt.xlabel('Speed & Latency')
plt.ylabel('Country/Provider')
plt.legend()
plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()

Code commentary

1. import matplotlib.pyplot as plt: Matplotlib Load the library and plot a graph.
2. data = {...}: Store download, upload, and latency data by country.
3. plt.figure(figsize=(14, 8)): Set the graph size.
4. plt.scatter(...): Visualize each velocity as a blue, purple, and green circle.
5. plt.title(), plt.xlabel(), plt.ylabel()to add a title and axis labels to the graph.
6. plt.legend() : Add legend.
7. plt.tight_layout() : The graph is adjusted to look better.
8. plt.show() : Output the graph to the screen.

Starlink Korea Service Status

Starlink Korea plans to enter the South Korean market in earnest around March 2025. Unlike traditional terrestrial internet services, the goal is to utilize low-orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet anywhere in the world.

Key features of Starlink Korea

1. can be used anywhere in the country

• Works in remote areas, islands, and oceans where traditional internet networks can't reach.
• Provide fast internet during disasters (disaster response, leveraging temporary internet deployments).

2. speed and reliability

• Average download speed: 100+ Mbps
• Average Latency: In the 40-70 ms range
• It may be slightly slower than traditional terrestrial internet, but it's much faster than traditional satellite internet.

3. ease of installation and use

• Provide self-install kits for users to install themselves.
• Equipment that includes a satellite dish and router to connect directly to the internet.

Starlink Korea's estimated pricing plans

Based on current US and European rates, we expect Starlink Korea plans to be similar to those below.

• Basic plan: about $120/month
• Business plan: Approximately $20/month (offers advanced speeds and bandwidth)
• Equipment cost: Approximately $800,000 (one-time cost)

What Starlink Korea can do for you

Starlink Korea's service will go beyond just home internet and will be applied to various industries.

• Marine and aviation: Provide reliable internet on ships, planes, and airplanes.
• Military and security: disaster recovery, rapid internet delivery during military operations.
• Agriculture and remote area development: smart farms, utilizing telemedicine in remote areas.
• Disaster response: Provide emergency internet during communications outages such as floods and earthquakes.

Wrapping Up: The Future of Starlink Satellites

The number of Starlink satellites continues to grow, and Starlink speeds continue to improve. Starlink South Korea is coming soon, which means high-speed internet will be available in even more places in the future.

For reference, bubble charts introduce another form of visualization with the same graph type but a different feel. Possible eruption of Mt: Eruption history confirmed by R bubble chart Check out the post to find out!