How does billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system work?

Deploying fiber optic networks on a large scale, from cities to remote areas, to connect millions of people to the Internet is an extremely difficult task, requiring huge investment costs, long construction times, and facing many geographical barriers.

From digging trenches and installing equipment to ongoing maintenance, the entire process is complex and difficult to scale up quickly in remote areas. But what if we could completely eliminate that complex physical infrastructure and replace it with a wireless transmission system from space?

That's the vision that Starlink, billionaire Elon Musk's satellite internet project, is realizing: to provide high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity from space to anywhere on Earth, using only a compact receiver.

What is Starlink?

Starlink is a satellite internet project developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX company. Starlink's goal is to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the world, especially to rural, remote, and island areas where traditional internet infrastructure like fiber optic cables is difficult or impossible to deploy.

Unlike traditional internet systems that rely on fiber optic or copper cable infrastructure, Starlink allows users to access the internet almost anywhere in the world with just a dedicated transceiver device.

This service is not only for households but also supports various modes of transportation such as cars, yachts, and even commercial airplanes, allowing passengers to connect to the internet even when in the middle of the ocean or flying at altitudes of tens of thousands of meters.

How does Starlink work?

Starlink is a satellite internet project developed by SpaceX, aiming to provide high-speed internet connectivity globally, especially to remote areas where traditional infrastructure is difficult to reach.

Starlink's operating principle is based on creating a network of satellites (constellations) orbiting the Earth in low Earth orbit (LEO), combined with specialized ground equipment.

Traditionally, the internet uses fiber optic or copper cables to deliver services to customers. Starlink, however, replaces much of this physical infrastructure by utilizing thousands of small satellites operating at an altitude of approximately 550 km above the ground.

Compared to traditional telecommunications satellites that typically operate in geostationary orbit (approximately 36,000 km above the Earth), Starlink's LEO satellites are much closer to the Earth, significantly reducing signal latency, a crucial factor for modern internet experiences such as online gaming or video conferencing.

The basic operation of the Starlink system consists of three main components: a satellite network, ground control stations, and user equipment (also known as satellite dishes).

When a user accesses the internet via Starlink, the satellite dish searches for and connects to the nearest satellite. The satellite then transmits the user's signal to a ground station connected to the global internet network, which then delivers the data to the requested website or service.

Starlink also uses highly advanced automated algorithms to manage signal navigation, selecting the optimal satellite at all times, ensuring a stable connection even when satellites are constantly moving at extremely high speeds. The user's satellite dish is also designed to automatically adjust its angle to track the best satellites without manual intervention.

In particular, Starlink satellites are becoming increasingly sophisticated, equipped with laser links that allow for direct data transmission between satellites without the need for ground stations. This reduces latency, increases transmission speeds, and opens up the possibility of global connectivity without relying on underground network infrastructure.

How is Starlink different from traditional satellite internet services?

Starlink isn't the first satellite internet system, but it's redefining the entire concept in a completely new way.

Starlink surpasses traditional solutions in three key ways: lower orbital altitude, a massive number of satellites, and the ability to support direct connectivity from mobile phones.

1. Satellites orbit extremely close to Earth.helps reduce latency significantly.

One of Starlink's groundbreaking changes lies in its orbital position. Starlink satellites operate at an altitude of only about 550km above the Earth's surface.

Meanwhile, traditional satellite internet systems like Viasat or HughesNet use geostationary satellites, located nearly 36,000 km from Earth.

Geostationary satellites have the advantage of remaining fixed in one point in the sky, are easy to connect to, and can cover a large area without needing many satellites.

However, the long distance also results in high latency, around 500 milliseconds, which is frustrating when using services that require instant response times, such as video calls, online gaming, or real-time remote work.

Conversely, at a much lower altitude, Starlink reduces latency to just 20–40 milliseconds, nearly equivalent to traditional fiber optic internet, resulting in smoother and more stable real-time experiences.

2. A system with tens of thousands of satellites instead of just a few.

Shorter distances offer faster speeds, but also mean each satellite only covers a small area. To provide global internet with low latency, Starlink needs to deploy a massive number of satellites.

As of April 2025, SpaceX has launched more than 7,000 satellites into orbit, and this number will continue to increase to 12,000 or even 42,000 satellites in the future, forming a massive satellite constellation covering the globe.

This is a stark contrast to traditional providers, who typically use only a few large satellites in geostationary orbit.

3. Mobile phone supportwithout the need for specialized equipment

While traditional satellite phones require bulky, specialized hardware, Starlink is aiming for a future where you can use your existing mobile phone to connect directly to the satellite, without any additional equipment.

SpaceX has begun testing the ability to send satellite messaging to phones on its Starlink satellites, and voice calls are also under development. Once this technology is perfected and deeply integrated into phones and mobile networks, we will see a major leap forward, with mobile connectivity no longer dependent on cell towers, but able to work anywhere, from jungles to the open sea.

Over 5 million Starlink users worldwide.

As of April 2025, SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has reached over 5 million users globally. This is a significant increase from the 4.6 million users at the end of 2024.

Starlink currently provides services in over 125 countries and territories, experiencing strong growth thanks to expanding coverage, improved performance, and a diversification of service packages.

The number of users is expected to continue growing rapidly in 2025, with forecasts suggesting it could reach around 7.8 million by the end of this year.

This growth reflects the increasing demand for high-speed internet connectivity, especially in rural and remote areas where traditional network infrastructure is limited.

Vietnam has granted a pilot license for the provision of Starlink satellite internet services.

On April 10th, SpaceX received a license to pilot the Starlink satellite internet service and is currently processing the necessary procedures to launch the network in Vietnam. Once completed, Vietnam will be the next country in Southeast Asia to have Starlink satellite internet, following the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Previously, on March 23, the Government issued Decision No. 659/QD-TTg allowing SpaceX to pilot the Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam. Accordingly, SpaceX is permitted to conduct a controlled pilot program for deploying telecommunications services using Starlink low-orbit satellite technology.

The service will be piloted for a maximum of 5 years and will end before January 1, 2031, with a maximum of 600,000 subscribers, and must meet national defense and security requirements.

The deployment can be carried out nationwide, with telecommunications services including: fixed satellite services such as Internet access, leased lines for mobile base stations; and mobile satellite services such as Internet access at sea and on airplanes.

Granting SpaceX a pilot license to operate in Vietnam is not only aimed at leveraging Starlink's technological potential to expand internet coverage, but also aligns with the national strategy of attracting foreign investment in technology and digital transformation.