Satellite internet has been around for decades. In the dotcom boom, several companies tried to commercialise it and went bust. It is generally slow and expensive, and thus mostly used as a backup when nothing better is available. Starlink is an attempt to improve the technology. By flying thousands of satellites in low orbits, rather than a few in high ones, it is able to offer swifter connections. Before Russia’s invasion, Mr Musk had intended to provide internet to people living in rural areas unreachable by cables and cell towers. The war has become another testing ground.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence said it suspects Russia is seeking to destroy communication lines. Since the outbreak of war, internet connectivity has been spotty. Russian forces have struck television towers in Kyiv, the capital, and Kharkiv. On March 21st, Mariupol went offline after troops bombed the offices of Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest internet provider and the last to offer service in the besieged city.

According to Apptopia, a data company, Starlink has roughly 150,000 active daily users in Ukraine. News reports claim that Starlink is aiding military communication. The Daily Telegraph reported that Ukrainian forces are using Starlink to gather intelligence and track targets for drone strikes. Viktor Liashko, Ukraine’s health minister, said hospitals are avoiding blackouts by tapping into its signals. Yet connectivity is weakest in eastern Ukraine, the renewed focus of Russia’s attack. There, orbiting satellites are further from their ground stations. On April 21st, SpaceX launched 53 more satellites into orbit. Better coverage will make Starlink only more useful. ■

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