Satellite Internet access

Elon Musk has unveiled the introduction of Starlink Direct-to-Phone satellites, marking a significant leap in connectivity. Through a shared video on X and SpaceX's announcement, Musk revealed the groundbreaking mission, emphasizing its impact on global communication.

Amazon has said it will invest $120 million to build a satellite construction facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, as part of its plans to launch a space internet service to rival SpaceX's Starlink.

"The US assesses that China's effort to develop capabilities to 'deny, exploit or hijack' enemy satellites is a key part of its goal to control information, which Beijing considers a core 'war-fighting domain,'" commented the "Financial Times".

Russia's drive to sabotage Ukrainian forces' Internet access by targeting Starlink satellite communications provided by billionaire Elon Musk to Kyiv appears to be more advanced than previously known, a classified US intelligence report leaked alongside the affair "Pentagon leaks," writes The Washington Post, which obtained the report.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Konstantin Vorontsov threatens to shoot down Elon Musk's Starlink satellites, as well as the satellites of Planet Labs and Maxar, which create detailed images of different areas.

Elon Musk said on Oct. 14 that SpaceX would not be able to pay for Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine indefinitely, while the US military confirmed it was communicating with the billionaire's company about funding for the key network.

Elon Musk's SpaceX satellites will connect directly to T-Mobile cellphones to provide service access even in the most remote places beyond the reach of cell towers from next year, the two companies have announced.     

Though satellite internet has existed for years, the competition is about to rapidly intensify, with companies planning to launch thousands of their own systems into low Earth orbit.

The latest move in the industry came on April 5 from Amazon, which took a major step towards getting its $10 billion Kuiper constellation off the ground by sealing deals with three rocket companies.

Billionaire Elon Musk announced late last night that his company SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine, with SpaceX sending more terminals to the country whose Internet has been disrupted by the Russian invasion, Reuters reported.

"The Starlink service is already active in Ukraine. More terminals are on the way," Musk wrote on Twitter.

SpaceX's newest fleet of satellites is tumbling out of orbit after being struck by a solar storm.

Up to 40 of the 49 small satellites launched last week have either reentered the atmosphere and burned up, or are on the verge of doing so, the company said in an online update Tuesday night.