How does Starlink work and why do militaries depend on satellite internet?

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1. 1

   The Parameters Comparison of the “Starlink” LEO Satellites Constellation for Different Orbital Shells

   Frontiers in Communications and Networks (Cakaj)Published May 7, 2021Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “Two next generations are planned to be situated at altitudes of 1,110 and 340 km, to complete the appropriate infrastructure of three Starlink satellite shells, toward a global presence of broadband internet services. These three orbital shells offer different space views seen from the ground station (user) because of their different altitudes, thus in this paper a few parameters which describe the satellite’s behavior considered from the ground station’s (user’s) point of view are compared. These parameters in fact stem from the space orbital parameters and are defined as: horizon plane wideness, slant range, latency, and coverage area. A comparison is given for the three Starlink orbit layers, with identification of appropriate drawbacks and advantages as performance indicators. By the end, these parameters are applied to geometrically interpret and confirm the handover process among satellites. This paper may serve to highlight the new challenges of the satellite-terrestrial integrated network, providing some theoretical analysis and performance comparisons for the satellites in different orbit layers seen from the ground station (user) perspective.”

2. 2

   A first look at starlink performance

   ACM Internet Measurement Conference (IMC) (Michel et al.)Published Oct 21, 2022Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “With new Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations such as Starlink, satellite-based Internet access is becoming an alternative to traditional fixed and wireless technologies with comparable throughputs and latencies. In this paper, we investigate the user-perceived performance of Starlink. Our measurements show that latency remains low and does not vary significantly under idle or lightly loaded links. Compared to another commercial Internet access using a geostationary satellite, Starlink achieves higher TCP throughput and provides faster web browsing. To avoid interference from performance enhancing proxies commonly used in satellite networks, we also use QUIC to assess performance under load and packet loss. Our results indicate that delay and packet loss increase slightly under load for both upload and download.”

3. 3

   Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine's front line operations, Kyiv says

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 14, 2026Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “Elon Musk's system allows Kyiv to protect Ukrainian skies and effectively guide drones to Russian targets.”

4. 4

   An analysis of military use of commercial satellite communications

   Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) (Forest)Published Sep 1, 2008Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “It is unlikely that reliance on commercial SATCOM will decrease, despite numerous planned military SATCOM assets launching over the next ten years. While commercial SATCOM is essential to most military operations and provides many advantages, its pervasive use also raises concerns related to security, cost, and survivability. This thesis analyzes the balance between DoD use of commercial SATCOM versus military SATCOM. It surveys historical and current military usage of DoD and commercial SATCOM, evaluates current predictions for military use of commercial SATCOM, and describes measures of effectiveness that can be used to evaluate the various SATCOM options. In culmination, this thesis defines what constitutes an appropriate balance of military and commercial SATCOM usage using cost, technical, and policy compliance measures of effectiveness. The measures of effectiveness lead to a recommendation of a more deliberate, less ad hoc use of commercial SATCOM for the vast majority of military SATCOM needs.”

5. 5

   SWOT Analysis of the Mega Constellation Technology and Satellite Internet

   Research paper (Bod et al.)Published May 9, 2023Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “Satellite mega constellations such as Starlink already provide broadband service around the world from space with thousands of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This new technology has several advantages such as increasing network coverage, providing service in disasters, reducing latency, increasing reliability, etc. In addition, this technology has disadvantages such as increased interference, reduced sky visibility, reduced monitoring of national networks, and security vulnerabilities. Different opportunities and threats will also arise in terms of this technology for countries, communities, and industries. This paper reviews the latest state of the mega constellation technology and satellite internet and analyzes the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of this technology. The presented SWOT analysis is based on various news, numerous articles of experts, and follow-up groups around the world, and in a way, all the positive and negative aspects of mega constellation technology and satellite internet will be reviewed in the paper. Finally, suggestions will be provided to deal with this new technology.”

6. 6

   The Potential of Satellite Internet Technologies for Crisis Management During Urban Evacuation: A Case Study of Starlink in Italy

   Information (Haghshenas et al.)Published Sep 28, 2025Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “In emergency situations, traditional mobile and WiFi networks often become inaccessible, significantly impairing timely communication and coordination. Reliable connectivity is therefore imperative for effective rescue operations and public safety. This research analyzes how satellite-based internet can provide robust, uninterrupted connectivity even when conventional infrastructures fail. The study discusses operational advantages such as rapid deployment, broad coverage, and scalability during disasters, as well as key constraints including line-of-sight requirements, environmental sensitivity, and regulatory challenges. Empirical findings from the deployment of Starlink during an actual urban evacuation event in Italy indicate that latency dropped below 200 ms and sustained upload/download speeds averaged approximately 50 Mbps—up to three times faster than ground networks in disrupted zones. By evaluating both benefits and limitations, this paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the integration of satellite internet services within Italian emergency response systems, aiming to improve the performance of urban evacuation strategies.”

7. 7

   Resilient Partnerships for U.S. Military Satellite Communication Missions: Designing a Method to Assess the Impact of Partnerships on Resilience

   RAND Corporation eBooks (Triezenberg et al.)Published Jan 1, 2024Checked Oct 14, 2026

   “This report documents the authors’ development of a methodology to define, assess, and evaluate resilience criteria over time, with a focus on the qualitative assessments of subject matter experts. The methodology is applied to a specific approach to building resilience: integrating coalition and commercial partners into the U.S. military satellite communications mission.”