Ukraine has conducted successful tests of SpaceX’s Starlink service in the country, with download speeds in excess of 200 Mbps — reports The Kyiv Independent.
🌟Ukraine conducts successful test of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet system.
Speeds reached over 200 megabits per second. SpaceX CEO @elonmusk provided Ukraine with the system to make sure that Russian forces aren’t able to take down Ukraine’s internet connectivity.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 1, 2022
With Ukraine under attack from Russia and fears of Russian forces taking down internet access within the country, the nation found an ally in SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Musk on Saturday announced that Starlink had gone live in Ukraine, and the service is now reportedly up and running at optimum speeds.
Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2022
Starlink is a high-speed satellite broadband service from SpaceX designed to provide affordable internet at viable speeds anywhere and everywhere across the globe. The service is specially equipped to cater to remote or otherwise unserved/underserved areas.
Starlink is a highly viable communications solution for disaster-stricken areas. Last month, SpaceX set Starlink up in Tonga to restore internet connectivity in the wake of a volcanic eruption. The service has also been used to provide internet to areas affected by floods and other natural disasters.
As of February, there are over 250,000 Starlink user terminals in circulation, according to Musk.
Musk had also promised more Starlink terminals for Ukraine, which were delivered to the country on Monday by the truckload.
As long as a Starlink dish has power (a regular household plug) and a clear view of the sky, it will maintain its independent internet signal, acquired from a constellation of over 2,000 satellites orbiting the Earth.
