Starlink to be used on Scottish Highland trains
This solution offers reliable, high-speed connectivity even in remote locations, supporting real-time monitoring and immediate response crucial for track condition assessments and fault diagnosis. Enhanced safety systems, such as surveillance at unmanned crossings, significantly mitigate risks and improve incident response times.
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Claim: Musk used Starlink to ‘steal’ US election
Left-wing conspiracy theorists allege the 2024 US presidential election was rigged through manipulation by Elon Musk’s Starlink network, with claims of 20 million votes disappearing and Starlink interfering with vote-counting machines spreading across platforms like X, Threads, and TikTok. There is no evidence to support the claims spreading on social media. US voting machines are typically disconnected from the internet in order to prevent interference.
Ukrainian official: Musk ‘committed evil’ with Starlink ban
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak says that Musk switching off Starlink access to Crimea led to the deaths of civilians:
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are being killed. This is the price of a cocktail of ignorance and big ego. However, the question still remains: why do some people so desperately want to defend war criminals and their desire to commit murder? And do they now realize that they are committing evil and encouraging evil?
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via #Starlink interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are…
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) September 7, 2023
Musk accused of ‘hijacking’ £5.5bn satellite deal
In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), SpaceX demands the Commission “expeditiously review and rescind” a decision to green light a £5.5 billion merger between American company Viasat and Britain’s Inmarsat. SpaceX, which had unsuccesfully tried to block the takeover, claims Viasat is causing interference with its satellites and breaching its licensing conditions in a long-running row between the two companies. It says the regulator has “improperly” failed to consider its claims the first time and that the acquisition was “contrary to the public interest” because of Viasat’s “blatant disregard” for regulations. Viasat says the FCC had already found it “qualified to obtain licences” and that its rival’s latest assault was an attempt to “hijack” the takeover. It also accuses Musk of creating the risk of orbital collisions by launching thousands of small satellites.
These are old arguments that have been tried and failed before – the FCC expressly rejected them in clearing the acquisition. And they will certainly fail again. Our focus is on integrating Inmarsat’s assets and capabilities into the Viasat family to offer the innovative new services our customers want.
Malaysia issues Starlink license
Malaysia issues a license to Starlink to provide Internet services in the country, particularly in remote areas. The communications minister said in a Facebook post that Starlink would begin by providing its services to schools and higher education institutions. The government was also prepared to work with satellite communications firms, including Starlink, to ensure 100% internet coverage in populated areas. Around 3% of populated areas in Malaysia face issues with internet access, due to geographical and infrastructure challenges.
Ukraine security agency: Starlink puts Ukrainian soldiers at ‘increased risk’
A Ukraine security agency says Starlink, which has helped Ukraine keep its battlefield communications live, puts Ukrainian soldiers at “increased risk” from cyber-spies who belong to a Russian-led espionage group in occupied Crimea. The group has been known to Western security agencies for almost a decade. After a Russia sympathizer was jailed for plotting to disrupt Western arms supplies by blowing up transport infrastructure, Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) urged soldiers to install advanced anti-hacker software, saying:
Computers located outside the [computer security] protection perimeter, in particular those that use Starlink terminals to access the Internet, are at increased risk.
The CERT-UA warning comes as the agency shed fresh light on the actions of an espionage-focused hacker gang known in the West as Gamaredon, whose members were described by CERT-UA as “former ‘officers’ of the State Security Service of Ukraine” who “betrayed their military oath and began to serve the FSB [spy agency] of Russia.” (The SSSU says Gamaredon is led by five Russian intelligence agency officers.) Immediately before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Gamaredon “tried to compromise a Western government entity in Ukraine” according to US cyber security company Palo Alto Networks.
Starlink satellite radiation harms deep space astronomy
A peer-reviewed study suggests that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation – a network of over 4,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit – is emitting radiation harmful to deep space astronomy. Titled “Unintended electromagnetic radiation from Starlink satellites detected with LOFAR between 110 and 188 MHz,” the study was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Astronomers previously knew that Starlink satellite clusters cause light pollution that impacts optical observations, but now a different disruptor of radio astronomy has been recognized as well. Using the “Low Frequency Array” (LOFAR) telescope, which consists of connected antennas spread across Europe, scientists measured a low-frequency radio hum from 47 of the 68 Starlink satellites observed. A co-author of the research at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy says:
This frequency range includes a protected band between 150.05 and 153 MHz specifically allocated to radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union.
Another researcher, from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany, adds:
Our simulations show that the larger the constellation, the more important this effect becomes as the radiation from all the satellites adds up. This makes us worried not only about the existing constellations but even more about the planned ones – and also about the absence of clear regulation that protects the radio astronomy bands from unintended radiation.
SpaceX is in contact with the researchers and has already introduced design changes that could eliminate the unintended emission from its next-generation Starlink satellites.
Musk meets Modi, hints at Tesla expansion
On a two-day visit to New York, Indian Prime Minister Modi meets with Musk. Musk:
[It was an] excellent and a very good conversation. I am confident Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible, Hopefully we’ll be able to announce something in the not-too-distant future….I am a fan of Modi. I like him quite a lot.
Musk, who said he hopes to visit India in 2023, said Modi is pushing Tesla to make “significant investments in India,” and that’s “something we intend to do.” He also added that he hopes to bring Starlink to remote and rural areas of India.
I am incredibly excited about the future of India
I am a fan of Modi – @elonmusk says after meeting PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/A9TLwotV9Y— 🦏 Payal M/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) June 20, 2023
Musk hires 14-year-old to work for SpaceX
Musk hires a 14-year-old to work as a software engineer at SpaceX. Having been described as a genius and a “wonder kid” for his academic achievements, Kairan Quazi’s IQ tests suggest he is in the 99.9th percentile of the general population. He already completed an internship at Intel, and after he graduates from Santa Clara University (where he is set to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science and Engineering), he will work on SpaceX’s Starlink team, which is building the world’s largest satellite internet network. On LinkedIn, Quazi wrote:
I will be joining the coolest company on the planet as a software engineer on the Starlink engineering team. One of the rare companies that did not use my age as an arbitrary and outdated proxy for maturity and ability.
His LinkedIn profile has since been removed, because the platform requires users to be at least 16 years old. On Instagram, Quazi posted that his removal from LinkedIn was “illogical, primitive nonsense” that amounted to discrimination.
I can be qualified enough to land one of the most coveted engineering jobs in the world but not qualified enough to have access to a professional social media platform? LinkedIn showing everyone how regressive some tech company policies are.
LinkedIn spokesperson:
We appreciate his enthusiasm to join LinkedIn and applaud his incredible success, however we have an age limit in place of 16 years of age and that extends to all members.
Pentagon buys Starlink terminals for Ukraine
The Pentagon signs a contract to buy Starlink terminals and services to aid the Ukrainian military in its war against Russia. Starlink has previously donated terminals to the Ukrainian war effort. Shortly after the country was invaded, Starlink donated 3,667 terminals to Ukraine and the country had approximately 22,000 of them as of December, with funding secured to receive 10,000 more. The terminals access a network of satellites to provide internet and help maintain stable communications and internet connections for the Ukrainian military despite the attacks on their telecommunications infrastructure. Details about terminal costs, specific capabilities, contracts, and partners involved in the deal were not revealed for “security reasons.”
Starlink dishes discounted $100 at Best Buy, Home Depot
SpaceX offers a $100 discount to US customers for its Starlink satellite internet service if they purchase its standard dish through Best Buy or Home Depot. Both retailers dropped the price from $599 to $499 (although consumers must also pay $90 or $120 per month to receive internet with the Starlink residential plan, depending on their location). Best Buy and Home Depot have blocked sales in U.S. states where the residential tier for Starlink is currently behind a waitlist.
Starlink announces in-motion use
Starlink announces that its satellite broadband service can be used on vehicles and whilst in motion, with a tweet showing the antenna on an RV driving through the desert. The company is offering 220 Mbps download, starting at £247/month with a one-time hardware fee of £2,410. The company says School buses in Cocononino Country, Arizona are among the first to use the service, enabling students who ride the bus an hour to and from school each day to stay connected and complete their homework. Musk shares the announcement, adding:
And works almost everywhere on Earth with global roaming enabled!
And works almost everywhere on Earth with global roaming enabled! https://t.co/QmglKYRpDz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 23, 2023
SpaceX launches 81st Starlink mission, lands booster at sea
SpaceX successfully launches a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 56 Starlink spacecraft, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, returning it to Earth less than nine minutes later, landing on the SpaceX drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 11th launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, while Starlink Group 5-9 marks the 81st operation Starlink mission, boosting the total number of Starlink satellites launched to more than 4,400.
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/bYvC8sH9NX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 14, 2023
Musk to King: ‘I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?’
After King says that Musk should give the blue check fee he donated to King to a Ukraine charity:
I think Mr. Musk should give my blue check to charity. I recommend the Prytula Foundation, which provides lifesaving services in Ukraine. It’s only $8, so perhaps Mr. Musk could add a bit more.
Musk responds, saying he has donated $100 million to Ukraine, and asks King how much he has donated.
I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?
Musk links his tweet to an October 22, 2022, tweet from former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, thanking him for donating Starlink to Ukraine’s war effort.
Thanks @elonmusk. Before all the talks about funding, you confirmed to me that in any case you will ensure the work of Starlinks in Ukraine. This was critically important for Ukraine. We are grateful to you!
I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?
(We turned down the DoD money btw) https://t.co/wpLa6dTnP6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2023
Chinese military wants 13,000 satellites to rival Starlink
Following the success of Musk’s SpaceX Starlink in the Ukraine War, Chinese military researchers want to deploy a national mega-constellation of almost 13,000 low-orbit satellites to emulate Starlink, while military scientists are pursuing research on how to “suppress” or even damage Starlink satellites in wartime scenarios.
Chinese reaserchers in an opaque state-backed project — referred to in China’s satellite industry as “GW” or “Guowang,” translated as “State Network” — have shared concerns in public research and privately with military officials that the project is lagging too far behind SpaceX’s Starlink and should be fast-tracked after the technology withstood practical tests in Ukraine.
The Starlink constellation has finally shown its military colors in the Russia-Ukraine conflict…The focus now is to accelerate the development of China’s own constellation … and explore defensive measures against Starlink-type foreign satellites
SpaceX buys Twitter Starlink ad campaign
Musk confirms SpaceX purchased a $250,000 ad campaign on Twitter to promote Starlink services in Australia and Spain, which will place SpaceX’s ad on top of the main Twitter timeline for a full day. Users will see the ad the first three times they open Twitter when the ad campaign is scheduled. The ad buy is the first for any of Musk’s companies, including Tesla, which does not engage in traditional advertising.
SpaceX Starlink bought a tiny – not large – ad package to test effectiveness of Twitter advertising in Australia & Spain. Did same for FB/Insta/Google.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 14, 2022
Musk will continue to cover Ukraine Starlink costs
Despite earlier tweeting that SpaceX could not fund Starlink ‘indefinitely’, Musk says he will continue to pay for Starlink to cover Ukraine. SpaceX has told the US government that Ukraine’s use of Starlink has already cost $80 million and could cost close to $400 million over the next 12 months.
The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free
The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022
When a Twitter user told Musk “No good deed goes unpunished”, he replied:
Even so, we should still do good deeds.
Even so, we should still do good deeds
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022
Musk: SpaceX cannot fund Starlink in Ukraine ‘indefinitely’
Following a report that SpaceX told the US government that Ukraine’s use of Starlink has already cost $80 million and could cost close to $400 million over the next 12 months, Musk says SpaceX cannot fund the existing system “indefinitely and send several thousand more terminals” that have high data usage. SpaceX’s donated Starlink internet terminals have been crucial in keeping Ukraine’s military online during the war against Russia.
SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Musk also said he was following the recommendation of Andrij Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, who told Musk to ‘F off’ after he posted his Twitter peace plan.
We’re just following his recommendation 🤷♂️
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Starlink debuts in Japan
SpaceX announces Starlink’s debut in Japan, the first Asian country to get the satellite internet service. Starlink’s service map shows the satellite internet service is available in parts of Japan’s main island including the Tōhoku and Kantō regions, and parts of the Chūbu region. The monthly service fee is 12,300 yen ($84) on top of hardware costs of 73,000 yen. The company signed an agreement with Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI to act as Starlink integrator for rural and remote areas. KDDI:
Starlink’s unmatched performance is a great fit for our persistent endeavor to bring the urban mobile experience to rural customers, With Japan having more than 16,000 mountains and 6,000 islands, Starlink’s industry-leading satellite constellation is uniquely suited to provide Japanese enterprises with reliable, sustainable internet connectivity, even in times of natural disaster
Starlink が日本でのサービスを開始しました － アジアでは初めてのサービス国です → https://t.co/slZbTmHdml
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 10, 2022
SpaceX loses Starlink Mexican domain battle
SpaceX loses a cybersquatting challenge against StarGroup, a 60-year-old Mexican telecommunications and entertainment services company in Mexico that registered the domain name starlinkmx.com. StarGroup’s brands include Star TV, Star Go, Star Line and Star Group.
The company applied for trademarks in Mexico for Starlink for communications starting in 2015. In November 2017, SpaceX legal representatives contacted StarGroup, initially not naming its client, to see if StarGroup would sell its Star Line and Starlink marks.
In finding for StarGroup, the WIPO panel noted that the company’s brand name starts with star, and it has a history of naming products that start with star. The panel also pointed out that StarGroup applied for trademarks in 2015, which predates SpaceX’s intentions to use the mark. The panel found that SpaceX did not show that StarGroup lacked rights or legitimate interests in the domain and did not show that StarGroup registered the domain in bad faith.