Last week, the satellite internet service Starlink, operated by SpaceX, suffered an important interruption that left thousands of users in different countries without connection. The reports about the failure increased very fast and people worried about the system’s instability and the risks of depending so much on it. So, let’s find out more about this issue.
What happened to Starlink?
According to Downdetector.com, more than 40,000 users reported connection issues and, for many of them, the service completely stopped before flickering back on a short while later. The good thing was that the outage was short, but the sudden blackout highlighted the vulnerability of a system which millions of people depend on.
On the Starlink website, people could see a message recognizing the issue, but it was eliminated later. Until now, SpaceX hasn’t made any official statements about the situation.
How does Starlink work?
It operates through a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit in low Earth orbit (LEO). These satellites communicate with user terminals on the ground allowing to provide connectivity even in places where traditional infrastructure doesn’t reach.
SpaceX keeps expanding the system, since on September 13 the company completed its mission number 300 of Starlink by launching 24 more satellites via a Falcon 9 rocket.
When it works as usual, Starlink allows clients to connect to the internet with only a receiver, which makes it a very valuable solution for users in remote areas and places in conflict (where its usefulness has been proved).
Ukraine
The outage also impacted Ukraine, where the system has become a key tool of communication during war. According to a message in Telegram, allegedly from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Starlink terminals were left with no online service along the front line when the disruption occurred.
Fortunately, as we said before, the outage was short: the service went back to normal in about half an hour, but the situation highlighted how important this resource is in war scenarios.
Concerns in Europe and beyond
This outage coincides with a moment in which several European leaders have already thought about Starlink’s dependency. Some governments have expressed their uncertainty when it comes to trusting so much in the American company, mostly in an international political context that is getting more unpredictable with time.
A sudden blackout with no explanation like this one can’t help to ease these concerns, more like it highlights the strategic risks of depending on just one supplier for such an essential service.
More competitors
Starlink’s leadership on the satellite internet also faces new challenges since there are new competitors like:
- Eutelsat OneWeb: already operating and it focuses on communities, companies, and governments over individual consumers.
- Project Kuiper: encouraged by Jeff Bezos, it expects to start the services before the end of this year. Opposite to Starlink, which depends on SpaceX, this project belongs to Amazon within the same division responsible for products like Kindle and Echo.
New competitors could offer alternatives, but also pressure Starlink to guarantee a more trustful service after the incidents like the one from last week.
Importance of Starlink
For many people, especially those in rural or forgotten areas, Starlink is more than an option, it’s their main access to the internet. That’s why Starlink’s reliability is crucial for personal, business and even military communications.
This issue reminded us that even advanced satellite systems can suffer unexpected failures. So, as the network expands, stability and transparency will be key aspects to keep users and governments’ trust. Do you think this issue will have a negative impact on Starlink in the future as new companies are joining the game?