Will the Russian military try to bomb Starlink dishes in Ukraine? SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is sounding the alarm about the possibility of an attack on his company's equipment.
“Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so probability of being targeted is high. Please use with caution,” Musk tweeted today.
Musk's warning comes days after SpaceX delivered a shipment of Starlink dishes to the Ukrainian government to help ensure it can maintain internet access while facing the Russian invasion. Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted a photo to Musk, showing a Starlink dish installed on a building's roof, making it a visible target.
It’s also clear SpaceX delivered the Starlink dishes to Ukrainian authorities. So any visible Starlink dishes could be interpreted as a sign government officials are nearby using them.
A Twitter user asked Musk how Ukrainians might deploy a Starlink dish “with caution.” In response, Musk said: “Turn on Starlink only when needed and place antenna...as far away from people as possible.”
“Place light camouflage over antenna to avoid visual detection,” he added. This could include using spray paint, so long as it doesn’t contain metal particles.
SpaceX’s Starlink works by using orbiting satellites to beam high-speed internet to users on Earth. Hence, it’s become a valuable service to supply broadband during emergencies when fiber networks are disrupted or destroyed. But to receive the internet from the orbiting satellites, Starlink requires the use of a dish, which has to be placed outside with a clear view of the sky.
Fedorov indicated that the Russian military has been using heat signatures via “infrared” to target Ukraine's infrastructure. “We need generators to keep Starlinks and life-saving services online — ideas?” Fedorov asked Musk on Twitter.
In response, SpaceX’s CEO is recommending the Ukrainian government use the Starlink dishes with solar panels and battery packs to cut down on any generated heat. Musk added that SpaceX is pushing out a software update so that “Starlink can be powered from car cigarette lighter.” In addition, SpaceX is enabling mobile roaming over the dishes in Ukraine, meaning they can be deployed on a moving vehicle without geographic restrictions.