Elon Musk makes U-turn on decision to stop donating satellite services to Ukraine

SpaceX have been supplying the Starlink terminals to Ukraine since early last spring. Musk had offered to help as the country had been suffering power outages and gaps in internet service due to Russia’s invasion. Musk had also promised that more would be more 'en route' according to CNN.

However, SpaceX informed the Department of Defense back in September that the cost was going to be too much and they would not be able to continue footing the bill. Musk stated, according to MSN:

The operation has cost SpaceX $80 million and will exceed $100 million by the end of the year.

The Pentagon had only commented to say they ‘are assessing their options’ according to The Japan Times.

What is Starlink?

Since a lot of the infrastructure is down in Ukraine, soldiers and officials there rely heavily on the Starlink terminals for communication. The country has around 25,000 of these terminals, which can be used for video calls, streaming, and other high data rate activities that aren't usually possible with satellite internet.

The system itself consists of over 2000 satellites and it enables users access to the internet in remote areas of the world. The terminals are built to be robust, Newsweek reports:

They are designed to withstand a range of temperatures and conditions such as extreme heat and cold, gale-force winds, snow, rain and hail.

U-turn

On Saturday Musk went on Twitter and in typically cavalier fashion stated they would indeed continue to fund the Starlinks after all:

The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free

The news comes not long after a story in Vice News, which stated Musk had been in private talks with Putin. This is something that Musk denied though, stating when asked if it is true:

No, it is not. I have spoken to Putin only once and that was about 18 months ago. The subject matter was space

In the same article Musk when on to state that his position is still pro-Ukraine but his main objective is to avoid nuclear war.

Sources used:

- MSN'Elon Musk Says SpaceX Will Stop Paying for Ukraine’s Starlink Satellites'

- CNN'SpaceX Starlink user terminals arrive in Ukraine, officials says'

- Newsweek 'What Are Starlink Terminals? Elon Musk's SpaceX Internet Arrives in Ukraine'

- The Japan Times 'Musk’s Starlink isn’t only option for Ukraine, Pentagon says'

- Vice News'Elon Musk Spoke to Putin Before Tweeting Ukraine Peace Plan: Report'

- Twitter Elon Musk

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