[jkilpatr]

The power consumption is a fundamental part of how phased array antennas work.

You have hundreds of tiny antennas using constructive and destructive interference to steer the signal in software.

This digital aiming is awesome for targeting fast moving objects in low earth orbit. But you lose the huge amplification factor possible with a simple metal dish.

Combine this with the the desire to use higher attenuation frequencies in order to increase throughput and I don't really see Starlink's power consumption going down.

That power budget already represents a pretty big victory, and any gains will probably go to lower unit cost or higher data rates.

[lucb1e]

Wait, but it already physically moves to track the satellite. Sorry for the stupid question but what is this digital tracking still for? Sending it to within a degree or so is not close enough?

[Johnythree]

> Wait, but it already physically moves to track the satellite

It doesn't. It moves to be in the same plane as the satellite, but it doesn't actually track the satellite.

The phased array can only track a single line across the sky. The dish moves so that line is parallel with the satellites orbit.

[lucb1e]

Ah, so if I understand it correctly they (motor and phase array) basically each do one axis?

[geerlingguy]

No, the motor basically aligns the satellite for the optimal phased array 'aim' (and can rotate and tilt the dish).

But after an initial aiming, the motors basically lock in place and the dish stays still. The phased array then tracks individual sats in orbit.