Google might pour money into SpaceX, really wants satellite Internet
[Via Ars Technica]
The Information reported on Monday that, according to “several people familiar with the talks,” Google is considering investing in SpaceX to support its plan to deliver hundreds or thousands of micro satellites into a low (750 mile) orbit around the globe to serve Internet to rural and developing areas of the world. The Information’s sources indicated that Google was in the “final stages” of investing in SpaceX and valued the company at “north of $10 billion.” SpaceX is apparently courting other investors as well.
Ars has contacted both SpaceX and Google for comment and will update when we receive a response.
Musk on Friday told a gathering in Seattle that SpaceX’s new office in that city would be dedicated to this satellite Internet service. Musk’s announcement came just days after another competing satellite Internet company, OneWeb, announced its own investments from Richard Branson’s Virgin Group as well as Qualcomm.
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So SpaceX moves an office up to the Pacific Northwest to build satellites. Planetary Resources is in the same area building satellites.
One wants to mine asteroids and the other wants to make getting to space as cheap as flying cross country in first class.
As I have said before, all roads to the the Yukon Gold Rush went through Seattle. I see no reason that all roads to the Space Gold Rush will not also go through Seattle.
A Man With A Ph.D. 