Now a handful of companies from SpaceX to ViaSat are launching satellites that orbit closer to the earth, which is expected to reduce the lag time — or latency — because the signal will not have to travel as far.

• How it works: A broadband beam from a satellite behaves similarly to a beam of light from a flashlight. If a flashlight is farther away from an object, the beam of light is wider and less intense. The closer the flashlight gets to an object, the more focused and bright the beam of light.
• Current satellites orbit higher above the earth, meaning they cover wider geographical areas but have less data capacity and thus can only serve a limited number of subscribers. Newer, smaller satellites are designed to orbit closer to earth, resulting in more direct signals and more capacity with 5G-like speeds.
• But the closer the satellites are to earth, the narrower the signal beam. So providers need more satellites to cover a broad area. Even with more advanced launch strategies, deploying thousands of satellites is still a pricey proposition.

The FCC has tried to free up additional spectrum for satellite services and modify rules to allow new constellations of satellites to be launched.

Here's what a few companies are doing:

• OneWeb, partnering with Airbus, is launching an initial 900 low-earth satellites to deliver high-speed, affordable broadband connectivity, set to go live in 2019.
• Boeing has applied for a constellation of up to 2,965 low-earth satellites for broadband service.
• SpaceX plans to launch 4,425 low-Earth satellites starting in 2019 and an additional 7,518 very-low-earth satellites to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband services that are competitive with terrestrial alternatives.
• Telesat and ViaSat are also launching satellites designed to increase broadband capabilities and coverage.

Bottom line: Lower-Earth constellations have the potential to compete more directly with cable or fiber networks on speed and price than the older satellite systems. But these companies will require a large number of subscribers — on the order of tens of millions — to recoup their costs, per an OECD paper.

Go deeper: Satellite TV’s tricky future in the cord-cutting era

• Facebook sources said Kaplan, Facebook’s vice president for global public policy, was solemn and contrite as he said he recognized the difficult situation he had put the company in.
• Refusing to bow to the attacks, Kaplan explained the tensions between his personal and professional obligations, and said he had a personal obligation to Kavanaugh and his family.
• Kaplan said he should have talked to Zuckerberg and Sandberg first, according to a Facebook official. Asked whether he had regrets, Kaplan said his core values include friendship and loyalty, and he declined to say if it was a mistake to go.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg also appeared at the town hall, which was livestreamed to all employees, and made it clear they considered Kaplan's appearance a big mistake. A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on the record.

• Zuckerberg said he understood a lot of Facebook employees were upset by the appearance, and expressed frustration that Kaplan had put the company in the middle of a political story, an official said.
• Zuckerberg added that Facebook is a place where people can have diverse points of view.
• Sandberg talked about the seriousness of sexual assault, and noted it is a pervasive issue in the country. She also expressed support for employees who did not share colleagues' concerns about Kaplan's attendance at the hearing.
• Facebook management characterized Kaplan's appearance as a lapse of judgement on his part, according to one listener.
• Speakers said Kaplan was there in his personal capacity on a personal day.

A Facebook employee who viewed the event characterized the meeting as "intense," and added that people were not expressing hostility but more incredulity at the situation.

This story has been updated to include more information about the meeting.

Nearly every woman has experienced, or has friends or family who have experienced, an unwanted sexual encounter. The resulting confusion, shame and distrust were etched into their memories and became defining moments in formative years.

That's why Ford's testimony has touched off something bigger than Kavanaugh — women are revisiting these experiences, sharing them on Facebook and group texts, even calling into C-SPAN.

• But not all women side with Ford: Some believe the judge has been treated unfairly, and worry about what the new #MeToo climate means for their husbands and sons.

Whether you believe Kavanaugh or Ford, the emotions will resonate long after this debate, because it's not just about him anymore.

This saga has spurred complex, and sometimes conflicting, reactions:

• Relief in not being alone — but horror in how many women had similar experiences.
• Optimism that women are being heard — but rage that so many people assume they're lying because they didn't speak up sooner.
• Hope for a national conversation — but dread that sexual assault has become a partisan issue that divides with suspicion rather than uniting with empathy.

I asked women at Axios, both in and out of the newsroom, why the confirmation battle feels like such a pivotal moment. Here’s a sampling of the nearly two dozen responses I received, edited for clarity and anonymized to protect individuals’ privacy.

Resonating: Many told me they were rattled by Ford’s testimony because it took them back to that party, or reminded them of that guy. They see their own stories in hers.

• "The worst part was watching someone describe an encounter similar to something I've experienced and similar to what almost all of my friends have experienced, and then watching dozens of people I love and trust not care."
• A familiar double standard: Women are doubted, while men are given the benefit of the doubt.
• The lasting impact: "Women are indelibly changed by attacks that men don’t deem significant enough to remember, let alone apologize for."

Optimistic: Some see hope that the dialogue is happening, however painful.

• Many had dismissed earlier experiences out of fear of being called overly sensitive, silly, or liars. "It’s not just other people saying 'I believe you,' but giving us permission to say that to our younger selves."
• Confronting shame: "Knowing other women — intelligent, smart, driven women that you never think something like this could have happened to — sharing their stories makes others realize that no, you weren’t giving mixed signals, and no you weren’t doing anything to provoke such a disgusting act from a man. That to me is the power here, recognizing that it isn’t the woman’s fault."

Deflated: Others felt a sense of hopelessness in seeing how far we as a country still have to go in coming to terms with the complexity and frequency of sexual assault.

• "If I were the person in that position after watching the way Dr. Ford was treated, I would never come forward to report. I wouldn’t compromise my own livelihood and normalcy … Maybe through this process, we have actually taken steps backward."
• "A woman stood before the nation and confronted her deepest, darkest memories and trauma — and the country stared back and said, 'Even if this happened to you, we don’t care.'"
• "This moment shows just how far women have to go ... I feel little hope that that will change in my lifetime."

Gone too far: Some fear the darker side of the #MeToo movement.

• Politicizing assault: A few are concerned that sexual assault could become a political weapon — and perhaps already has. Some think Kavanaugh was presumed guilty and persecuted by the press over an uncorroborated account.
• How much leeway and forgiveness should men be given for teenage behavior? Should adolescent behavior automatically disqualify from public service someone who seems to have grown up to be an admirable judge, husband and father? And where's the line between a "slip-up" and something that really is disqualifying?
• "Young women and men both make mistakes, and taking responsibility for their actions has to cut both ways. We shouldn’t encourage a cultural norm of taking a woman at her word, but not taking a man at his."

The future: The pain will linger.

• Turmoil is in store for the next generation. "For little girls, there is a linear path of messaging: be strong, be empowered, have a voice. For little boys, there's a new, much more nuanced playbook required, which is more about emotional awareness and empathy."
• Redemption: The #MeToo movement will eventually need to make space for forgiveness and second chances, "But emotions still feel too raw to see that happening in the immediate future."

The bottom line: The turmoil over Kavanaugh may lead us to a better place in the long run. But in the short run, it's going to feel like the country is coming apart.