OUTERNET INFORMATION FOR THE WORLD
FROM OUTER SPACE
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion
and expression; this right includes freedom to
hold opinions without interference and to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas
through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
- ARTICLE 19 OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
FOR THE WORLD INFORMATION
FROM OUTER SPACE
CUBESAT WITH DEPLOYED SOLAR PANELS 30cm x 10cm x 10cm, 3kg
A constellation of low-cost nanosatellites
can create a distributed communications
system in support of free, global access
to independent media.
FOR THE WORLD INFORMATION
FROM OUTER SPACE
FOR THE WORLD INFORMATION
FROM OUTER SPACE
The $80,000 Ecuadoran Pegasus is similar to
what is being planned for Outernet.
HD VIDEO BROADCASTER 10cm x 10cm x 10cm, 1kg
Planet Labs, a space startup
from San Francisco, recently
set a record with the
deployment of a 28-satellite
constellation from the
International Space Station.
FOR THE WORLD INFORMATION
FROM OUTER SPACE
FOR THE WORLD INFORMATION
FROM OUTER SPACE
AUSTRALIS OSCAR V
Small satellite relays have been
built and used by amateur radio
operators to transmit voice and
data messages for 40 years.
WHAT IS OUTERNET?
• Global news, information, and entertainment delivery – International and local news delivery
– Agricultural commodity prices for rural farmers
– Weather updates
– Health care bulletins and preventative meausures
• Universal educational broadcasting – WBEZ in Chicago was founded by the Chicago Board of Education to broadcast daily lessons and lectures during the
polio epidemic in the 1940s.
• Application delivery, such as Linux updates, educational courseware, ebooks, and games.
• Communications during disasters; humanitarian relief organizations can coordinate efforts with citizens – http://cir.ca/news/super-typhoon-haiyan
Outernet provides a basic level of information and
education to the world for free. Instead of
broadcasting audio or video, Outernet broadcasts
entire websites, applications, ebooks, and
courseware. Outernet is the library of the future.
WHAT WILL OUTERNET DELIVER?
Global News and Information
• International and local news
• Agricultural commodity prices for rural farmers
• Healthcare bulletins
• Government notices
Educational Courseware • WBEZ in Chicago was founded by the Chicago Board of Education to
broadcast daily lessons and lectures during the polio epidemic in the 1940s
• Outernet delivers open courseware materials for all ages
Application Delivery • Software
• Wikipedia updates
• eBooks
• Games
Emergency Communications • Disaster relief coordination
• Persistent communication with citizens when other channels are disrupted
• Public service announcements
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Outernet transmits over both a
purpose-built nanosatellite
constellation, as well as
existing geostationary satellites
from SES. An external hotspot
converts the satellite signals
into Wi-Fi.
4
Content delivered through
Outernet is stored and
displayed on hotspot receivers
and devices such as e-
newspapers, smartphones,
tablets, computers, and USB
receivers.
5
Outernet users request content
via SMS and 0.facebook. A
voting system creates a queue
for broadcasting. Users select
which files to open as they are
downloaded. These files can be
saved and shared indefinitely.
6
etc.
IS THIS LEGAL AND FEASIBLE?
• Low Earth Orbit falls outside of international airspace
• The frequencies of Wi-Fi are unlicensed spectrum all over the world.
Numerous satellites currently transmit over unlicensed frequencies.
• Amateur radio enthusiasts have their own satellites, which carry voice
and data for ham operators.
• Ten years ago, Microsoft built an FM broadcast data network which
transmitted stock updates and news briefs to smart watch owners.
• 110 CubeSats have been successfully deployed since 2003. Student
groups regularly send satellites into space.
• Satellite multicasting already exists as a business.
• SES, the world’s largest satellite operator, has agreed to a flexible
transponder lease to develop the product and user experience.
WHO WILL USE THE OUTERNET?
• Base of the pyramid; the primary objective of Outernet is to bridge
the global information divide. This is a market of four-billion people.
Many of these people have equipment that can already received
Outernet transmission.
• Middle income residents in emerging markets; Outernet will reduce
reliance on expensive data plans for some digital content.
• Residents of areas with inadequate telecom infrastructure; rural parts
of any country, islands, mountainous regions, the open sea.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How is this different from what already exists?
Is it really necessary to build and launch satellites?
Why hasn’t anyone else done this yet?
Free-to-Air satellite broadcasters transmit video and audio content. Outernet will transmit the
best content from the web. Instead of delivering ephemeral content, Outernet broadcasts files
and applications which can be easily saved, redistributed, and viewed on a web browser.
It is definitely possible to deliver web content through existing satellites, or even terrestrial tv
and radio transmitters. Outernet’s feedback loop and user experience will be immediately
tested with these channels. However, the coverage map of existing satellites is somewhat
spotty and owning the distribution chain is a competitive advantage.
Standardization of nanosatellite components and frequent launch opportunities for secondary
payloads are a recent phenomenon. All but one nanosatellite mission have been conducted to
advance science, space education, or military objectives. Conventional satellite operators
have fat margins and have no reason to innovate at the bottom of the market.
Will it be possible to tailor broadcasts for specific regions?
Yes. SES has 55 satellites, each with numerous transponders. Spot beams targeting
specific regions make this an easy feature to implement. The nanosatellite constellation offers
this capability by transmitting regional content while passing over predetermined areas.
BUSINESS CASE
• Facebook’s 4th quarter ARPU for frontier markets was $.56, an
18% increase from the 3rd quarter.
• To date, the lowest price tag for a global communications
constellation is $300M (ORBCOMM). Outernet’s target for a
constellation with similar capabilities is $10M. Global coverage
from SES starts at $100,000 per year.
• There is strong customer interest in high-bandwidth data
broadcasts from existing satellites. Developing a physical
product and open source software immediately generates
revenue and mindshare. Users and customers can experiment
with broadcast data while a proprietary distribution system is
built.
• Outernet is a vertically integrated, next-generation media
company. Satellites just happen to be the fastest and
cheapest way to reach every person on Earth.
Imagine universal access to information, regardless
of income, infrastructure, geography, or jurisdiction.
Imagine four-billion additional participants in the
global marketplace of ideas.
Imagine the avalanche of creativity, innovation, and
invention.
In just a few years, you won’t need to imagine.