After announcements that Elon Musk’s electric vehicle (EV) company Tesla is providing free Supercharging for European residents affected by the recent floods, the entrepreneur’s space travel company, SpaceX, has announced another initiative for those affected using its Starlink satellite internet.
Starlink is used to provide internet for the regions impacted by the flood in my area!
12 stations up. 23 more coming short term!
I love it! Perfect use case! 😍 pic.twitter.com/8WvQTC6WiO
— What about it!? (@FelixSchlang) July 20, 2021
SpaceX is offering free Starlink internet dishes and services to those affected by flooding throughout Europe, according to the Rhineland-Palatinate (via Tesla Adri).
While the company has already begun establishing 12 Starlink dishes, it also has plans to install 35 more to help offer connectivity to affected residents.
Starlink providing internet in the flooded area in rhineland palatinate/Germany. This is one of twelve dishes already installed. Will be extended to 35 in the next days. @elonmusk tech for the rescue.
Thank you @SpaceX for such a great System.Source:https://t.co/KbKwrR2t04 pic.twitter.com/hX3au5Tweq
— Tesla_Adri (@tesla_adri) July 20, 2021
The 12 current areas with SpaceX Starlink satellite dishes are below:
Thank you @elonmusk and @SpaceX for helping out so quickly in Germany's flooded areas! pic.twitter.com/87PMLmlk7o
— Thomas Temme (@Milten85) July 20, 2021
Last month, Germany announced plans to subsidize Starlink hardware for rural residents, in an attempt to increase connectivity for remote residents. Starlink’s service only launched in Germany in April, and is also expected to expand into Spain later this year.
Also according to Tesla Adri, automakers are offering a lending hand to the victims of the flooding too, with Opel offer loaner cars to affected customers for up to three weeks for free, Ford offering pickup trucks and vans to the Red Cross, and Volkswagen donating 1 million euros to the cause.
