We first wrote about Elon Musk’s foray into the satellite Internet business in a 2020 blog titled “Watch Out For Leo.” Musk’s company SpaceX launched – quite literally – their Starlink project designed to litter the sky with satellites that would provide high speed, low latency Internet service worldwide.

We followed up with an update on the progress of Starlink about a year later with a 2021 blog titled “Last In Space.” At that point, Starlink had launched over a thousand satellites with the ultimate goal of sending 4,400 circling the globe.

Another year has passed and we feel, in light of recent events, it’s time for another Starlink update. It’s reported that Starlink now has launched over two thousand satellites and they have delivered over 100,000 Internet terminals worldwide.

We have discussed how important the Internet has become in every aspect of our society. But we can’t think of a scenario where it would be more important than in a country that is under attack. It is an essential tool for citizens, government and military.

In 2020 we posted a blog titled “The Spade Hacker.” Here is an excerpt:

“In the Republic of Georgia, located on the Europe-Asia border, a 75-year-old woman, digging for copper with a sharp-edged shovel, cut through [a fiber optic cable].

The entire country of Armenia, as well as parts of Georgia and Azerbaijan were cut off from the world wide web. 

…If a 75-year-old woman can hack through a cable with a spade and bring down the Internet in three countries, it seems there has to be a more secure way of doing things.”

Makes you wonder how easy it would be to bring down the physical network infrastructure of an entire country if you are armed with tanks, missiles, fighter jets and foot soldiers.

This potential threat wasn’t lost on one forward thinking Ukrainian government official.  Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted Elon Musk asking him to provide Ukraine with Starlink satellite Internet services. Musk replied the same day. “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.”

Other European countries jumped on board and sent Starlink Internet terminals to the Ukraine. According to the Washington Post, Fedorov said the services were “very effective” and the “quality of the link is excellent.”

Those statements really don’t surprise us. There have been Internet speed tests done by independent sources that support what Musk said the service would be able to provide.

We don’t know if there is a way to sabotage Internet service that is coming from the skies above, but one thing is for sure, a 75-year old woman, digging for copper with a sharp-edged shovel, won’t be able to bring it down.