Photo: JIM WATSON / Getty Images
Ukraine received Starlink satellite Internet terminals donated by SpaceX to help keep the beleaguered country connected to the world outside as Russia steps up its invasion.
“Starlink – here. Thank you @elonmusk,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted, days after asking SpaceX billionaire CEO Elon Musk for help. Fedorov’s tweet included a photo of the back of a military-looking truck, loaded with terminals.
Fedorov previously tweeted a criticism of Musk for not doing enough to help provide internet to Ukraine during a Russian invasion on Saturday, prompting the billionaire to pledge to send Starlink terminals to the beleaguered country.
Starlink—here. Thanks, @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/dZbaYqWYCf
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 28, 2022
Elon Musk: “Starlink service is already active in Ukraine”
“@ElonMusk, while you try to colonize Mars, Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets are successfully landing from space, Russian rockets are attacking the Ukrainian civilian population! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and address the Russians
Musk was quick to respond, stating that SpaceX had activated its Starlink Internet service in Ukraine and that it was sending more Starlink technology to the country. “Starlink service is already active in Ukraine. More terminals on the way,” Musk wrote on Twitter.
“I wish I could say more”
The details of Musk’s help and how the terminals arrived, in the midst of the Russian invasion, remain secret. In addition, it is not clear how quickly the promised Starlink broadband terminals will be operational within Ukraine.
“I wish I could say more,” Musk told SpaceNews. “But yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It’s weird that SpaceX can do this,” he added.
Musk is keeping his promise in more ways than one. Not only has the technology arrived in Ukraine, but there are already reports that it is in operation.
@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 26, 2022
The service would be running
“Success! SpaceX Starlink is up and running in Kiev, Ukraine!” Twitter user Oleg Kutkov stated online. According to Kutkov’s post, they connected with download speeds of 136,76 Mbps and upload 23,136 Mbps and they were able to access Starlink Internet with their iPhone.
Low probability of being a military target
On the other hand, Internet security experts have warned about a potential danger that the terminals could pose. They claim that these could become military targets
Brian Weeden, a former US Air Force officer, stated that the potential danger of Starlink terminals, which could be attacked, it was real, but he doesn’t think they would be classified as high-value targets.
“It is true that Starlink’s terrestrial terminals will emit signals and, therefore, will be potentially attackable with radiofrequency signal detection equipment. But I doubt they are that high a priority for Russian targets, so I think the chances of them being targeted are probably low,” Weeden said via email to SpaceNews.
“A much bigger challenge would be Russian land mobile jamming, which is sophisticated and can already do against existing satellite signals such as GPS and satellite communications,” he added.
Starlink: Internet access to remote areas
SpaceX’s Starlink Internet service is designed to provide high-speed broadband Internet access to remote areas around the world that may lack such infrastructure.
As reported Space.com, this is achieved through a mega-constellation of Starlink internet satellites, which SpaceX has been routinely launching into low Earth orbit. Land. Currently there are more than 2,000 functional Starlink satellites in orbit and SpaceX is authorized to launch up to 12,000 of spacecraft, although the company aspires to throw 30,000 plus.
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