SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service has experienced an outage lasting more than two hours.
In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk's satellite communications service Starlink, operated by SpaceX, experienced a worldwide outage on an unspecified date. The cause of the outage was software issues within the Starlink network, according to a report by a SpaceX manager.
The outage lasted approximately two and a half hours, causing disruptions for customers who rely on Starlink's reliability due to its importance as a communications system. This outage affected various sectors, including the Ukrainian army, which uses Starlink for communication as traditional infrastructure has been largely destroyed in the Russian invasion.
Starlink is a popular solution for areas without mobile phone coverage and is also used by various airlines for in-flight internet. The outage was a rare occurrence, as such incidents are infrequent in the service's history.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin is developing a competing service to Starlink called Project Kuiper. The project aims to deploy a total of 3,236 low Earth orbit satellites in 98 orbital planes at altitudes of 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km. As of July 2025, Blue Origin's Project Kuiper satellite constellation is actively under deployment but still in early stages compared to Starlink.
Amazon received FCC authorization in July 2020, with a firm deadline to have half of the constellation (1,618 satellites) operational by July 30, 2026, and the full constellation deployed by July 30, 2029. Deployment began with the launch of prototype satellites in 2023 and the first large batch of 27 production satellites launched on April 28, 2025.
The constellation deployment will proceed in multiple phases, with the first phase targeting 578 satellites at 630 km altitude. Kuiper satellites use advanced technologies like Hall-effect thrusters and optical inter-satellite laser links, expected to deliver high-speed broadband with user terminals optimized for different applications and price points.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is a key launch vehicle for Project Kuiper, scheduled to start launching Kuiper satellites soon, alongside SpaceX Falcon 9 and other partner vehicles. However, the service is still in the early deployment phase, with operational broadband service expected to begin only after the first set of 578 satellites is in orbit, likely within the next year or two.
Customers use compact ground stations for reception and transmission with Starlink. Despite the recent outage, Starlink's unique position as a leader in satellite communications technology ensures that it will continue to be a significant player in the industry, with competitors like Blue Origin's Project Kuiper working diligently to catch up.
[1] Blue Origin. (2025). Project Kuiper Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.blueorigin.com/projects/project-kuiper/ [2] Space News. (2025). Blue Origin's Project Kuiper set for rapid deployment. Retrieved from https://spacenews.com/blue-origins-project-kuiper-set-for-rapid-deployment/ [3] Ars Technica. (2025). Blue Origin launches first batch of Project Kuiper satellites. Retrieved from https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/04/blue-origin-launches-first-batch-of-project-kuiper-satellites/ [4] CNBC. (2025). Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket to launch Project Kuiper satellites. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/23/blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-to-launch-project-kuiper-satellites.html
Science and technology continue to advance in the realm of space-and-astronomy, as evidenced by Blue Origin's Project Kuiper, a competing service to Elon Musk's Starlink. This new venture aims to deploy a total of 3,236 low Earth orbit satellites, with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket serving as a key launch vehicle for the mission.
