Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Starlink space internet is getting new update to help Ukraine
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.SpaceX’s Starlink space internet is getting an update to make it more useful to people in Ukraine, Elon Musk has announced.
The company is releasing a software update so that its receivers will require less energy, allowing them to be powered from a car’s cigarette lighter. The antennas should also be able to work from a moving vehicle, he said.
The updates were announced by Mr Musk on Twitter, in response to Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s vice prime minister. The two have been in contact about a range of topics as SpaceX aims to use its Starlink systems to keep Ukrainian internet online.
Mr Fedorov had asked for help with the fact that attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure were making it harder for people in the country to keep the Starlink units online and communicating with the internet. Mr Musk announced the updates in response.
Previously, the two had communicated about the possibility of using solar power to keep the units charged up.
“Solar panels and battery pack better than generator, as no heat signature or smoke and doesn’t run out of fuel,” Mr Musk wrote to Mr Fedorov, who replied that such a fix was difficult because the “weather – clouds and smoke from burning cities”.
In response, Mr Musk wrote that the solar panels might have to be larger if they were obscured, but that it “works better than one might think”.
Mr Musk’s latest announcement came almost at the same time that SpaceX deployed a fleet of new Starlink satellites on board one of its Falcon 9 rockets.
He had joked that the satellites were being carried by “American broomsticks” in response to disparaging comments from Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia’s space agency.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments