Former NASA chief joins satellite internet company Viasat

According to foreign media, former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine has confirmed that he will join the satellite Internet company Viasat and has joined Viasat's board of directors. According to Jim Bridenstine himself, he is concerned about the digital divide and the future of mankind and wants to try something new.

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Viasat, a long-time provider of internet from space, is based in Southern California and plans to launch its technologically sophisticated trio of internet satellites, called ViaSat-3, at approximately six-month intervals starting in the first quarter of 2022. The three satellites will provide broadband internet to the world at a throughput of one megabyte per second from a very high orbit, and Viasat also plans to put 300 internet satellites into low Earth orbit.

SpaceX's Starlink is growing rapidly, having launched more than 1,300 satellites into space since 2019. Jeff Bezos' Amazon is also planning its own satellite internet initiative, called Project Kuiper. Both constellations are multi-billion dollar undertakings, investments that would bankrupt other companies.