SpaceX is offering satellite internet service to the US towns that are hit by devastating wildfires. SpaceX is a private aerospace company. It is owned by business magnate Elon Musk. The company is providing internet connectivity through its satellite broadband network. Residents and emergency workers in Washington, Malden are among others who are able to use SpaceX’s services. In Malden, wildfires have destroyed more than 80 percent of the homes. It is hometown to 200 people. In capital Washington, people are online as they bank on SpaceX’s network. The company said that the Starlink system is supplying the emergency internet to people facing the brunt of wildfires.
Renowned space reporter Michael Sheetz said that Washington’s emergency response team is working in close collaboration with SpaceX to provide satellite internet. The department said that Musk’s company is offering services to the agency for free. It said Starlink terminals are currently providing emergency broadband services around Washington’s Bonney Lake. The wildfires have forced the locals to evacuate and take shelter to other locations. It said that SpaceX’s terminals are used for free public Wi-Fi. The department added that Elon Musk’s company has not set any timetable regarding when they will take the equipment back. It is believed that latency rates reach about 30 milliseconds. This rate is on par with land-based internet. The department didn’t confirm the latency rates.
Musk in a tweet said that he is glad to see SpaceX helping people during the time of crisis. He said that the company is prioritizing locations and emergency responders where internet connectivity has collapsed completely. SpaceX in September claimed that Starlink can provide 100Mbps download speeds. It has around 715 satellites in the space. The company’s target is to achieve 1Gbps speed. It has planned to launch thousands of satellites to accomplish its goal. Musk has a dream of providing fast broadband service in the world. The company is currently conducting beta trials in lower Canada and the northern US.
Jeffrey is acting editor in chief of AmazingNews24 with over seven years of experience in the field of online news under his belt. Jeffrey has worked with multiple media houses and is currently leading a team of journalists, sub-editors and writers through his entrepreneurial endeavours.
