LISTEN: Satellite broadband service to touch every corner of Alaska by year’s end

A satellite dispenser prior to its launch Feb. 6. The 34 microsatellites on board will provide broadband internet to the world, including Alaska through another integrated system. (OneWeb photo)

There’s a project in the works to bring wireless, broadband internet to all of Alaska, this time via satellite.

It involves launching what are actually called “microsatellites.” The first of the microsatellites that are expected to provide broadband to Alaska — and the rest of the world — were shot into space just last week from Kazakhstan.

The Alaska part of that network involves another, larger satellite set for launch in December 2020 and is called the Aurora Satellite System. It’s the product of partnership between Astranis Space Technologies Corporation and Pacific Dataport Incorporated.

Pacific Dataport CEO Chuck Schumann spoke with Alaska Public Media’s Casey Grove about the project.

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Casey here

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