The latest space race is all about improving Internet access

Whether you knew it or not, the new space race that’s unfolding is about Internet access. Since 2019, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has put more than 1,000 of its Starlink satellites into low-earth orbit as part of a plan to provide broadband Internet to underserved communities around the world. And just this week, Amazon announced that it plans to put its first prototype Project Kuiper satellites in orbit by the end of 2022 with a similar goal in mind. These companies are trying to go after an estimated 4 billion people without access to the Internet as well as businesses that operate in remote areas such as airlines and cruise ships. As lawmakers work out how to extend broadband Internet to parts of the country that need it most, a new generation of satellites may be able to help keep some families in rural areas connected and their kids educated — for a price. Here’s what you need to know about how these new Internet services work and how they stack up against each other.