Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Elon Musk gives Ukraine advice to keep SpaceX satellite-internet working amid Russian invasion

Entrepreneur advised Ukraine minister to use solar power where possible

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Wednesday 02 March 2022 23:03 GMT
Comments
How Is Elon Musk’s Starlink Service Working Out In Ukraine?

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Elon Musk gave Ukraine’s leaders advice on keeping SpaceX’s satellite internet service working during the Russian invasion of the embattled country.

The entrepreneur took to Twitter after Mykhailo Fedorov, minister of digital transformation for Ukraine, posted a picture of a Starlink terminal on a roof in Ukraine.

But the politician, who got Mr Musk to activate Starlink over Ukraine last weekend, said that the country had suffered Russian attacks on its infrastructure.

“With Russian attacks on our infra, we need generators to keep Starlinks & life-saving services online - ideas?,” Mr Fedorov tweeted on Wednesday.

Mr Musk replied to him that solar panels and battery packs would be better than generators for powering the terminals during the conflict.

He added that solar does not have a “heat signature or smoke & doesn’t run out of fuel.”

Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during a press conference at SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10, 2022.
Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during a press conference at SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)

“(Elon Musk) great suggestions! We’re unlucky w/ weather- clouds + smoke from burning cities and with infra damage can’t grid charge batteries,” the minister replied.

“Last time for fossil fuels now? then you help rebuild Ukraine w full solar+storage?”

Mr Musk replied that despite the “obscuration” the solar “works better than one might think.”

“Good point - should work even with Ukrainian winters! We will keep you posted as we roll out more Starlinks across the country. THANK YOU again for helping us out with (Starlink)- this will save a lot of lives,” tweeted Mr Fedorov.

Mr Musk became involved in the issue when Mr Fedorov tweeted at him last Saturday and asked for Starlink access in Ukraine.

After the SpaceX boss said he had activated it over the country and would provide more terminals for its use, Mr Fedorov posted a picture of a truck loaded with those terminals in Ukraine.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in