SpaceX Starlink Revealed This By Accident

Summary

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has seen significant improvements in latency since January 2024, with 222 software updates aimed at reducing latency by over 30% for US subscribers. The company is working towards a goal of achieving latency under 20 milliseconds, which would bring it close to fiber connection speeds. These updates include new algorithms and quality of service improvements to prioritize data packets for better performance during gaming and video calls. Additionally, Starlink is planning to lower satellite orbits to further decrease latency, with the service already boasting over 2.6 million subscribers after a recent surge.

Takeaways

• 🚀 SpaceX's Starlink has implemented 222 software updates since January 1st, focusing on improving system performance.
• 🎮 The updates aim to reduce latency, which is crucial for gaming and real-time applications like video conferencing.
• 🎯 Elon Musk has set a goal for Starlink to achieve latency under 20 milliseconds, comparable to fiber connections.
• 📉 Starlink has reportedly reduced latency by over 30% for US subscribers, from 48.5 milliseconds to 33 milliseconds during peak usage hours.
• 🌐 International users outside the US have also seen improvements, with mean latency reduced by up to 35%.
• 🔍 SpaceX monitors latency rates by collecting anonymized data from millions of Starlink routers every 15 seconds.
• 🤖 The company uses AI and algorithms to prioritize data packets and optimize the network for quality of service (QoS).
• 🛰️ Starlink is working on lowering satellite orbit from 530 km to 330 km to save 2 milliseconds in round-trip time, contributing to lower latency.
• 📈 Since December, Starlink has added 400,000 subscribers, growing from 2.2 million to 2.6 million.
• 🔄 In addition to Starlink updates, SpaceX has also performed 193 satellite software updates, 75 Gateway software updates, and 57 WiFi updates since January.

Q & A

How many software updates has SpaceX Starlink rolled out since January 1st?

SpaceX Starlink has rolled out 222 software updates since January 1st.

What is SpaceX's goal regarding latency for Starlink?

SpaceX's goal is to reduce Starlink's latency to under 20 milliseconds.

How has Starlink's latency improved for US subscribers in recent months?

Starlink's latency for US subscribers has improved by more than 30%, from 48.5 milliseconds to 33 milliseconds during peak usage hours.

What is the significance of reducing latency for online gaming and video calls?

Reducing latency is crucial for smooth online gaming and video calls as it ensures timely responses and prevents delays that can disrupt the user experience.

How often does SpaceX collect anonymized latency measurements from Starlink routers?

SpaceX collects anonymized latency measurements from millions of Starlink routers every 15 seconds.

What is one of the strategies SpaceX is using to reduce latency?

One strategy SpaceX is using to reduce latency includes orbiting satellites at a closer distance to Earth, specifically from 530 km down to 330 km, which could save up to 2 milliseconds.

How many additional subscribers did Starlink gain since December according to the company's report?

Starlink gained an additional 400,000 subscribers since December, increasing from 2.2 million to 2.6 million subscribers.

What does the term 'QoS' stand for, and what is its relevance to Starlink's network improvements?

QoS stands for Quality of Service, which is relevant to Starlink's network improvements as it involves using algorithms to prioritize data packets and reduce unnecessary latency for users.

What type of updates has SpaceX been working on to improve Starlink's performance?

SpaceX has been working on updates related to quality of service (QoS), satellite software, gateway software, and Wi-Fi updates in the routers.

How does SpaceX plan to handle large user downloads affecting latency on the Starlink network?

SpaceX plans to handle large user downloads by using active query management (QoS) to prevent such downloads from affecting the latency of other users' activities like gaming or telecommuting.

What is the expected outcome of SpaceX's continuous efforts to reduce latency?

The expected outcome is a continued improvement in latency rates over the coming weeks and months, with the aim of achieving rates between 30 and 42 milliseconds for many US Starlink users.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 SpaceX Starlink Software Updates and Latency Reduction

This paragraph discusses the significant number of software updates (222) that SpaceX's Starlink has rolled out since January 1st. It highlights the impact of these updates on the service's latency, aiming to lower it to meet Elon Musk's goal of under 20 milliseconds. The importance of low latency for gaming and telecommuting is emphasized, and the efforts of engineers to reduce latency by addressing software-based limitations are detailed. The improvements in latency for US and international users are also mentioned, showcasing the progress made in a short period of time.

05:00

📉 Starlink Latency Improvements and User Experience

This section delves into the specific improvements made to Starlink's latency, with a reduction of over 30% during peak usage hours in the United States, and up to 35% for international users. It explains how SpaceX monitors latency rates and the steps taken to minimize additional latency caused by software limitations. The introduction of active query management (QoS) to prevent large downloads from affecting other users' latency is also discussed. The paragraph further explores SpaceX's plans to continue reducing latency through software changes, additional ground infrastructure, and satellite launches.

10:02

🌐 SpaceX's Strategy for Achieving Sub-20 Millisecond Latency

This paragraph outlines SpaceX's strategy to achieve Elon Musk's target of sub-20 millisecond latency for Starlink. It discusses the company's plans to orbit satellites at a closer distance to Earth, which is expected to save 2 milliseconds in latency. The paragraph also mentions the company's efforts to prioritize software changes and infrastructure improvements, such as additional ground stations and satellite launches, to further reduce latency. The expectation is that these efforts will lead to a round trip time of 4 milliseconds, bringing Starlink closer to its latency goal. Additionally, the paragraph notes the company's rapid growth, with 400,000 new subscribers since December, reaching a total of 2.6 million.

15:04

💬 Community Engagement and Future Predictions for Starlink

In the final paragraph, the speaker invites the audience to share their thoughts on the developments with SpaceX Starlink and discusses personal predictions for the service, such as the potential integration of Starlink into vehicles. The speaker also promotes their photography tools and encourages audience engagement by visiting their website. The paragraph concludes with well-wishes for the audience's health and connectivity, signaling the end of the discussion on Starlink's advancements and user experience.

Keywords

💡SpaceX Starlink

SpaceX Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing global internet coverage through low Earth orbit satellites. In the video, it is discussed that Starlink has undergone numerous software updates since January 1st, aiming to improve latency and overall user experience, particularly for gaming and video conferencing.

💡Latency

Latency refers to the delay in the transmission of data over a network. In the context of the video, it is crucial for online gaming and video calls, as high latency can lead to lag and disrupted communication. SpaceX is working on reducing Starlink's latency to below 20 milliseconds, which would be competitive with fiber connections.

💡Software Updates

Software updates are modifications or improvements made to a software application to fix bugs, enhance performance, or add new features. In the video, it is emphasized that SpaceX Starlink has rolled out a significant number of software updates to improve service quality, particularly focusing on latency reduction.

💡Elon Musk

Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and is known for his interest in gaming. In the video, it is noted that his personal experience with gaming has influenced the company's focus on reducing latency for Starlink, as low latency is essential for a good gaming experience.

💡Telecommuting

Telecommuting refers to the practice of working remotely from home or another location outside the traditional office environment. The video discusses the importance of low latency for telecommuters who rely on live video calls and online meetings for work, such as Zoom or Google Meet.

💡Quality of Service (QoS)

Quality of Service (QoS) is a set of techniques used to manage network resources and ensure that critical applications receive priority over less important traffic, thereby improving the overall performance of the network. In the video, SpaceX is said to be implementing QoS to prevent large downloads from affecting the latency of other users' activities on the Starlink network.

💡Ground Infrastructure

Ground infrastructure refers to the physical structures and equipment on the ground that support the operation of a satellite network, such as ground stations and user terminals. The video mentions plans to build additional ground infrastructure to further improve the Starlink service.

💡Satellite Orbits

Satellite orbits are the paths that satellites follow around the Earth. The video discusses SpaceX's plan to lower the orbits of its Starlink satellites from 530 km to 330 km to save time in data transmission and reduce latency.

💡Subscriber Growth

Subscriber growth refers to the increase in the number of individuals or entities using a service over time. In the video, it is reported that SpaceX Starlink has added 400,000 subscribers since December, indicating a significant expansion of its user base.

💡Network Optimization

Network optimization involves the process of improving the performance and efficiency of a network by reducing latency, increasing throughput, and ensuring reliable data transmission. The video discusses SpaceX's efforts in network optimization through software updates, new algorithms, and infrastructure enhancements.

Highlights

SpaceX's Starlink has rolled out 222 software updates since January 1st, focusing on improving system performance.

The updates aim to reduce latency, which is crucial for gaming, telecommuting, and teleconferencing.

Elon Musk, an avid gamer, has emphasized the importance of low latency for a level playing field in gaming.

Starlink's engineers have been working hard to lower latency, with a goal of under 20 milliseconds.

Fiber connections typically have a latency of 1-10 milliseconds, making them the benchmark for Starlink's improvements.

In the United States, Starlink has reduced mean latency by more than 30% during peak usage hours.

The worst-case peak hour latency (P99) has dropped over 60% from over 150 milliseconds to 65 milliseconds.

International users outside the US have also seen improvements, with mean latency down by up to 25% and worst-case latency reduced up to 35%.

SpaceX monitors latency rates by collecting anonymized measurements from millions of Starlink routers every 15 seconds.

The company is addressing software-based limitations causing latency, such as unneeded processing delays and unoptimized buffers.

Starlink is implementing new algorithms and quality of service (QoS) measures to prioritize important data packets and reduce unnecessary latency.

SpaceX plans to further reduce latency by launching more satellites and adjusting their orbit to a closer distance to Earth.

The company has added 400,000 subscribers since December, growing from 2.2 million to 2.6 million.

In addition to Starlink updates, SpaceX has also performed 193 satellite software updates, 75 Gateway software updates, and 57 WiFi updates.

The continuous updates and improvements show that SpaceX is actively working on enhancing the user experience and service quality.

The presenter predicts that Starlink will achieve a sub-20 milliseconds latency within the next few months.

The presenter uses Speedify to bond multiple internet connections, including Starlink, for live streaming, prioritizing packets for better performance.

The presenter encourages viewers to check out their website for photography tools and support their work.

Transcripts

SpaceX starlink has rolled out

222 software updates since January 1st

has it helped let's talk about

[Music]

it hey everybody welcome back to the

channel thank you so much once again

joining me for tea time today we have a

little bit of Misty morning and focus

combination that Zing the bergamont so

good so good I hope you're joining me

with your cup of tea maybe a cup of

coffee hanging out talking Tech talking

photo talking video today is a

technology day we're going be talking

about SpaceX starlink and how there was

a ton of software updates as of late

since January 1st they say that there

was

222 just starlink updates there's other

updates that I'll get into in this video

that is a ton of updates a lot of you

have been writing in to me dming me and

they're like Joseph has your starlink

been rebooting a lot what is going on

and I'm like yeah I think so it's been

rebooting a bunch it was like 12 reboots

just in like less than a few days like

what is that so they are the engineers

saying they the engineers are working

hard at making latency lower this is

something that is very very important to

Elon Musk he's talked about this in the

past he is an avid gamer and if you

didn't know it if you do game if you do

firstperson shooters or any type of

gaming latency is very very important so

that things happen on time that you're

not behind everybody else right let's

say you're doing a firstperson shooter

if you aim at someone and you pull the

trigger and now you're like why didn't I

hit them well because they already move

because they're sitting on a fiber

connection and you're sitting on an

extremely high latency connection right

that timing is Mission critical to be

able to have an even playing field well

this also holds true when it comes to

telecommuting teleconferencing anytime

that you're live maybe you're doing a

zoom or you're doing a Google meeting or

anything like that this is very very

important so like I said SpaceX has been

working really hard at this we talked

about it a lot on last night's live

there was a lot of people on the live

last night it was awesome thank you

everyone for being here also I just want

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coming soon before we get into this I

want to read a quick article from p

magazine to you and then give you my

commentary before we get into I want to

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cvpn so let's jump right into this

article and like I said I'll give you my

commentary and most importantly I want

to hear from you down below the company

published new details on how SpaceX has

been driving down the latency of

starlink with the goal of one day being

under 20 milliseconds SpaceX says it's

made progress to drive down starlinks

latency by over 30% for us subscribers

citing in improvements implemented over

the past few months on Friday the

company published a report that shed

light on SpaceX starlings ongoing

efforts to one day bring the latency

down to under 20 milliseconds once again

like I said this is Elon Musk goal sub

20

milliseconds I think that's awesome keep

in mind fiber is sitting anywhere from

about 1 millisecond to about 10

milliseconds so if we can get sub20

SpaceX will get really really close to

being on par with like cable companies

cable companies on average are about 13

milliseconds 15 20 right around there so

we'll see if that ends up happening I

think that he can do it quote in the

United States alone we reduce the mean

latency by more than 30% from 48.5

milliseconds to 33 milliseconds during

the hours of peak usage that's very

important worst case peak hour latency

or P99 which is like the 90 9th

percentile has dropped over 60% from

over 150 milliseconds down to 65

milliseconds that's massive the latency

has also improved for users outside of

the US with a mean latency down by up to

25% in the worst case latency reduced up

to 35% so even 25 or 35% overseas that

is still a lot in a short period of time

remember this is since January that's

only a couple months that's pretty damn

good it continues driving down the

latency is important to help online

gaming and video calls run smoothly on

the starlink network the company has

been monitoring the latency rates by

collecting anonymized measurements from

millions of starlink routers every 15

seconds that's a ton of data SpaceX adds

that the internet data over starlink

needs about 10 milliseconds to make a

round trip from the user's Wi-Fi router

up to the orbiting satellite and then go

to the ground station now they're just

guesstimating just coming up with this

10 milliseconds but I really believe

that it's eight anyways it continues

however the starlink network can suffer

from additional latency from the

software based limitations such as quote

unneeded processing delays unoptimized

buffers and unnecessary packet drops

that Force retries that's basically like

CRC eras that could end up being a

problem and obviously slowing things

down now they have a picture of how the

data goes from your home up to a

satellite back down to a ground station

then over to your point of presence or

your knock or your network operations

center and then finally out to the webs

now what's interesting here is and I

don't know if this is a slip up but look

at that image doesn't this look kind of

interesting and the reason I say this is

remember like a couple of video agos I

said listen my prediction is that we

will see starlink on cars right I said

that all Teslas will have starlink built

into the roof and I think that other

cars are going to start getting small

little dish like literally 8 in tiny

starlink dish on the top of the cars

remember I said that well look at this

image is that like a

oops look at that car with starlink

strapped to the top of it it's

completely flat it looks like a I don't

know like a sunroof but it's a

starlink this is an image right from

SpaceX I don't know if that is an

accident or what but that bodess well

for my prediction that we're going to

see starlink on cars I'm telling you we

will see it it'll be ubiquit every car

is going to have starlink on it this is

my prediction anyways I digress as I

always do in response the company has

been working on ironing out

inefficiencies with new algorithms this

includes the addition of quote active

query management or what I call qos

right quality of service I'll get into

that in just a second which can prevent

a large user download on a starlink

installation from affecting the latency

of another user's computer while they're

gaming or maybe while they're

telecommuting or where they're going

through some type of conference or

meeting or Google meeting or Zoom or

whatever right I'll tell you about that

in just a second quote over the past

several months monitoring and metrics

have also been added across the network

to measure latency on every subsystem

down to the millisecond the company

added we have rigorously tuned our

algorithm to prefer pass with low

latency no matter how small the

difference and to remove all sources of

unnecessary and non-physical latency so

this is what is very important like I

said qos they are using AI or their

algorithms to figure out what data is

important and what is not important what

is going to produce too much latency and

what won't and which path is better to

take the data right it is doing this

manipulation and then it's also thinking

about now not on a local level but on a

external level as an ISP level it's

thinking about what data is going to

affect what you're doing so that if you

are once again sitting there gaming and

now someone else on the network is

downloading a massive file it says hey

let's slow down that download so that

this person that's gaming is not going

to be affected same thing holds true as

if you're doing a zoom meeting or some

type of Google meeting or whatever it is

right it's going to prioritize certain

applications or certain things certain

data packets down to the packet level

not session level I'm not going to get

into all of that but packet level is so

damn important in comparison to session

level anyways it continues according to

the company's official map the results

are causing many US starlink users to

experience latency rates between 30

millisecs in 42 milliseconds to bring

the rates down further SpaceX says this

you can expect latency to continue to

improve over the coming weeks and months

as we prioritize software changes build

additional ground infrastructure ground

stations okay maybe more Pops we get

into that in a second and launch more

satellites another tactic also involves

orbiting the satellites at a closer

distance to Earth we just talked about

that yesterday right they're going to

move their satellites from 530 km down

to 330 km that is going to save 2

milliseconds so once again I was saying

that we're probably at about 8

milliseconds right now it's going to get

down to six and if we do take that 2

milliseconds by lowering those

satellites into consideration they will

most likely be able to get to a 4

millisecond round trip from your dish to

the satellite and back four milliseconds

that will definitely get Elon Musk to

his magical sub 20 Mill seconds what

he's looking for when it comes to

latency I think it will happen they

finalized with the company reported that

they added an additional

400,000 subscribers since December so

they went from 2.2 million to 2.6

million subscribers that is unbelievable

and they show the map and whatnot here

so the things that we need to take into

consideration or in order to remember is

they are making these changes and

they're doing these updates now I listed

all of the updates that they're doing

and the 222 starlink updates they have

done since January is a lot but they

also added that they've done

193 satellite software updates 75

Gateway software updates those are in

the point of presence or in those ground

stations and then finally 57 WiFi

updates that's Wi-Fi right in the router

that you're using itself so it is a

major major feat that's going on behind

the scenes these Engineers are working

Contin continuously once again what they

are working on is basically qos or

quality of service but on an ISP level

and I think this is awesome because

right now we're using it when we Bond

all of our internet connections AT&T

which sucks AT&T starlink as well as

T-Mobile I Bond all three of them

together when I go live and I use

speedify to do it and what speedify does

is it decides what is important what

package are important not just a session

but what packets are important and if

I'm streaming it's going to prioritize

those packets if I'm gaming it's going

to prioritize those packets matter of

fact they gave us a promo code if you go

to J christina.

cspe all right

jr.com you'll get a discount from those

people too they're awesome I use them

all the time anyway so this is very

important I love to see that they're

actually doing what we would do in a

network Operation Center as a system

administrator that I am sitting on a

fiber switch for example doing all that

qos they are doing it for us in all of

the different softwares that they have

access to the wifi the router itself the

actual software that is in the

satellites everything has been updated

hundreds of updates since January

they're not sitting on their Laurels

like most isps are they're like yeah

whatever they're not doing that they're

trying trying to continuously get better

and like I said we're going to see 4

milliseconds round trip okay mark my

words four milliseconds round trip and

then when you add on the ground latency

of your ground station as well as the

point of presence your pops moving the

data around we will definitely see sub

20 milliseconds with SpaceX Starling I

promise you now will it happen next

month I don't know but within I would

say three months 4 months we should be

able to see Sub sub 20 milliseconds what

Elon Musk goal is anyways guys I want to

know your thoughts what do you think do

you think that this is awesome like me

or do you think it's kind of like

whatever down below let's have this

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