Subj : Re: TV Woes
To   : ROB MCCART
From : Mike Powell
Date : Sat Sep 27 2025 09:03:43

> MP>They actually sort of do.  The type of service in question relies on
>   >geo-stationary satellites.  So the 4 or so in question are in place
>   >specifically for the UK, Ireland, and (if I understood correctly) West
>   >Africa.  While the number of people served is still in the millions, it
>   >might not be enough to make it cost-effective to launch replacements when
>   >the time comes.

> Okay, I hadn't thought of it that way. You usually think of the
> satellites as passing off their signals to the next in line all
> around the earth but I suppose it makes sense that not all users
> want or need access to other parts of the world.

> I was thinking more like as with satellite phones you can call
> from anywhere on earth if you have line of sight to the chain
> of satellites over the equator.

It is difficult for me to get my head around geo-stationary, too.  I think
of the Earth spinning and of satellites moving.  Somehow, they get them
moving at the same rate of the Earth's spin, and sometimes makes small
corrections with thrusters, so they stay in the same relative area.

Mike

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