SpaceX it now has approximately 150,000 daily users of its Starlink satellite Internet service in Ukraine – nearly 10 weeks after being activated in the war-torn country.
This was tweeted by Mykhailo Fedorov, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Elon MuskStarlink was providing “crucial support” for the country’s infrastructure and “restoring the destroyed territories”.
“Ukraine will stay connected no matter what happens,” he added.
Last month, the Starlink app, which allows people to access a satellite internet service, became the most downloaded app in Ukraine.
As of March 15, it had been downloaded nearly 100,000 times.
SpaceX now has approximately 150,000 daily users of its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, nearly 10 weeks after it was activated in the war-torn country.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted that Elon Musk’s Starlink was providing “crucial support” to the country’s infrastructure and “restoring the destroyed territories”
SpaceX CEO Musk handed over the terminals that provide the service after the Russian president Vladimir Putin invaded the country in February.
It is understood that Starlink now has around 10,000 terminals – the antennas that connect users to satellites – up and running in Ukraine.
In late February, Musk said Starlink was activated in Ukraine and SpaceX was sending more terminals into the country, responding to a tweet from a Ukrainian government official who asked Musk to supply the warring country with Starlink stations.
Fedorov told the Washington Post in late March that his country was using “thousands” of Starlink terminals.
SpaceX did not disclose exactly how many Starlink users and terminals are currently active in Ukraine.
Musk delivered the satellite Internet terminals at Fedorov’s request, amid concerns that the invasion of Russia could disrupt Ukraine’s Internet services.
According to a leaked The email from company Tesla, the automaker, of which Musk is also CEO, helped quickly provide the Starlink infrastructure.
It is understood that Tesla battery storage systems have also been provided to power them.
Fedorov responded by thanking Starlink for “keeping our cities connected and emergency services saving lives!”
SpaceX CEO Musk handed over the terminals providing the service after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the country in February
Starlink is a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites in low earth orbit, broadcasting internet connections to antennas around the world, with a large presence in Ukraine, introduced to keep the country online during the ongoing Russian invasion
But he said the country needed generators to keep broadband satellite service online due to Russian attacks on infrastructure.
In response, Musk said SpaceX was updating software to reduce peak power consumption, so Starlink can be powered by the car’s cigarette lighter.
“Mobile roaming is enabled, so the phased array antenna can hold the signal while in the moving vehicle,” he said.
When the terminal, or dish, is connected, it automatically connects to the nearest Starlink satellite in the sky, of which there are more than 2,000.
The satellite then communicates with the nearest ground station, or gateway, which provides the Internet.
These gateways are located all over the world but cannot be too far from where you get an Internet connection.
With Ukraine, there is a gateway to neighboring Poland, hence the the Internet connection travels from the gateway to the satellite and then to the terminal.
All users need to do is connect their router to their terminal to gain Internet access.
The terminals need a clear view of the sky to work and there is an app to help users find a suitable spot to place them.
