Re: A benefit of space exploration - improved cell service

"a425couple"  wrote in message news:[email protected]...

A benefit of space exploration - improved cell service
because of lower launch costs.

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Motorola set up a satellite phone system in the 1990's that worked well but 
cost too much compared to cell phones.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_satellite_constellation

"The first spacecraft mock-up of this design was built in the garage 
workshop in Santa Clara, California for the Bus PDR/CDR as a 
proof-of-concept model."

I made the first proof-of-concept model of a proposed optical (laser) 
crosslink between satellites in my home machine shop, partly in the garage. 
Actual metal parts for the project manager to handle can be more convincing 
than paper sketches of them.