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
One million Starlink terminals manufactured
After its recent launch of 52 Starlink satellites, Musk announces that SpaceX has manufactured one million Starlink terminals. The one-million milestone has been achieved less than two years after Starlink began taking pre-orders for the satellite broadband service in February 2021.
Starlink now over 1M user terminals manufactured
Starlink now over 1M user terminals manufactured
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 25, 2022
Iran blocks SpaceX Starlink website
The government of Iran blocks SpaceX’s Starlink website following Elon Musk activating Starlink for Iranians.
The website https://t.co/yZnnlfljYg has been blocked in Iran, according to media reports and users. pic.twitter.com/19HwQ2j1Tk
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 24, 2022