SpaceX launches Starlink mission on Falcon 9 for first time in weeks, nails landing [9:16]

Message from Jim Robinson:

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Space X is technologically very impressive and cutting edge. It has already revolutionized telecommunication. However its financial future lies with Defensse contracts. Space based weapon systems will soon be able to pinpoint any target on earth or flying in the atmosphere. Elon Musk will soon have more real power than any mortal who has ever lived.

The gradual (and not very gradual) SpaceX takeover of mobile telephony, which is already a commodity business, will be transformative.

I think we both remember how the long distance companies used to fight over customers because it was worth it. Now we don't even think about it, we just call, often by point and click. Two of my old landline numbers are mobile phones now, and both are in Texas, a long way from this area code.

The microwave relay 'towers' that used to be about 2 miles from here? No sign they were ever there. MCI built its network on that technology, before the ATT breakup, because it greatly enhanced ATT service (local, regional, long distance) and could leased at a rate ATT couldn't match if it tried to do it by itself.

The past couple of years, even out here in The Boonies, orange road work signs are at least as often as not due to fiber burial going on. Here in what I call town the main east-west street has has that kind of install going on the past few months. That kind of 'last mile' network will probably have a bit of a temporary boom as the remnants of cable TV service and internet streaming service and web surfing migrate to fiber.

The big growth area for SpaceX/Tesla/Terafab/Starlink/Boring Company will be in leasing out data center services, and in chip manufacturing, probably expansion of battery manufacturing (and a pivot into at least one newer batt tech), and of course those $30K self-driving two-seaters, and home automation (theirs are the droids people have been looking for).

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