SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced that the company’s Starlink internet satellite broadband service is currently active in Ukraine, as the country’s internet faced disruptions because of the Russian invasion, per Reuters.
The news: “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,” Musk responded to Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minster Mykhailo Fedorov's call for help, via Twitter on Saturday.
“While you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people!” tweeted Fedorov. “We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.”
How does it work?: Starlink provides internet service through a network of relay towers and a growing network of low-earth orbit satellites, according to Fortune Magazine. The service is currently used by many countries including the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand. Other countries like Italy, Poland, Spain and Chile are requesting the service.
Flashback: In January, when an underwater volcano erupted in Tonga, the biggest recorded eruption in more than 30 years, the Starlink system was able to provide internet service to connect villages, according to CNN Business.