Elon Musk activates SpaceX Starlink service over Ukraine
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The SpaceX CEO sent Ukraine thousands of his company’s Starlink satellites amid the Russian attack. Starlink’s satellites provide a low-Earth orbit internet service that SpaceX has been building out for the past several years. It is a constellation of connected satellites that, in theory, will be able to provide high-speed internet to large swaths of the world. This has proved vital for certain areas of Ukraine where the Russian military has wreaked havoc.
Starlink has also reportedly provided assistance to the Ukrainian military, helping out with drone attacks on Russian tanks and positions.
That may give the Russian military all the more reason to target Mr Musk’s Starlink satellites in Ukraine.
Nicholas Weaver, a lecturer in computer science at UC Berkeley, told Insider: “Elon Musk is, at heart, a fast-talking, third-rate car salesman.
“He knows that a Starlink dish can’t be visually camouflaged due to its nature but somehow tweeted out that is what people in Ukraine should do.”
John Scott-Railton, from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab project, has also explained why Mr Musk’s satellites may be vulnerable.
He told Insider: “If Russia cared and had a suitable electronic warfare plane in the air, they should be able to easily locate and identify the transmitter.
“The plane is able to literally point out where on the ground the Starlink dish lies.”
And Mr Musk even warned himself that the Russians may go for his Starlink satellites, claiming that in “some parts of Ukraine”, they are the only “non-Russian communications system still working”.
He urged Ukrainians to “use with caution”, advising that users only turn on Starlink when it is absolutely needed.
He has also stressed that antennas must be placed as far away from people as possible.
Despite the threat of a Russian attack on the systems, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was thrilled with Mr Musk’s assistance.
After receiving a second shipment of Starlink satellites, Mr Fedorov tweeted: ”Received the second shipment of Starlink stations.
“Elon Musk keeps his word! Thank you for supporting Ukraine and peace in the entire world.”
An air specialist from the military unit revealed that the Ukrainian military has been connecting to Musk’s satellite network to allow their technology to lock onto enemy targets.
He said: “If we use a drone with thermal vision at night, the drone must connect through Starlink to the artillery guy and create target acquisition.”
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In addition to the drones being modified with thermal cameras to identify Russian tanks at night, they are equipped with anti-tank grenades.
The unit has destroyed dozens of “priority targets” including tanks, command trucks, and other vehicles in nighttime raids, The Times reported
This isn’t the first time Starlink has aided a nation, with work currently underway to restore internet access in Tonga, following a volcanic eruption on January 15.
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