Israel negotiating with SpaceX to use Starlink
Israel is now in negotiations with SpaceX to get use of its Starlink constellation for communications, especially in the region around Gaza where the present conflict is ongoing.
Starlink currently isn’t available in Israel, so this would be the first time the service is introduced in any capacity. As it seeks to bolster its own communications during wartime, it is also looking into halting cell and internet communications in Gaza, that same official said.
“The activity of coordinating the Israeli company Starlink is taking place, enabling the operation of communication terminals by the company SpaceX, which will allow a wide broadband internet connection in Israel,” Israel Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X. “Additionally, under the guidance of the minister, the ministry promotes the purchase of these satellite devices for the benefit of regional councils and community leaders in conflict zone settlements.”
By having Starlink available, Israel could use it as it shut down the cell and internet capabilities being used by Hamas.
Whether a deal will be made remains unclear, as Musk has shown ambivalence about Starlink’s contribution in the Ukraine war.
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Israel is now in negotiations with SpaceX to get use of its Starlink constellation for communications, especially in the region around Gaza where the present conflict is ongoing.
Starlink currently isn’t available in Israel, so this would be the first time the service is introduced in any capacity. As it seeks to bolster its own communications during wartime, it is also looking into halting cell and internet communications in Gaza, that same official said.
“The activity of coordinating the Israeli company Starlink is taking place, enabling the operation of communication terminals by the company SpaceX, which will allow a wide broadband internet connection in Israel,” Israel Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X. “Additionally, under the guidance of the minister, the ministry promotes the purchase of these satellite devices for the benefit of regional councils and community leaders in conflict zone settlements.”
By having Starlink available, Israel could use it as it shut down the cell and internet capabilities being used by Hamas.
Whether a deal will be made remains unclear, as Musk has shown ambivalence about Starlink’s contribution in the Ukraine war.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I’d be interested to know why it is not available there, already. Presumably, some government license was not granted – although it’s possible that Starlink didn’t even try to get one.
Assuming this is not a first attempt, I’d say “no” without massive concessions. You really want me NOW, but previously it was more important to protect your incumbent providers? I believe the expression is, “your lack of planning is not my emergency.”
I’d also be having unexpected technical difficulties with all my US government Falcon-9 launches until the Starship permit was granted. I’m just spiteful that way.
One key difference between Ukraine’s use and Israel’s potential use of Starlink is who pays for the service. Like any other provider (wartime or otherwise) Starlink needs to make money to continue to offer the service. Ukraine was gifted the hardware and some free months of usage, but eventually Starlink needed to be payed by somebody to continue. They couldn’t / wouldn’t pay so there was a whole press blow up on who should pay for their access. Israel on the other hand seems to just be doing normal big customer price negotiations. Big difference from the Starlink perspective.
markedup2: Grounding US govt F9 launches was my first thought also after the political nonsense holding up Starship. Then I remembered Chucky Schumer’s quote: “You take on the security apparatus, and they have 6 ways from Sunday at getting back at you.”
Just saw today, Musk is considering pulling “X” out of Europe because a Draconian “free speech” law enacted. This is the one that if you enable “wrong think” on your platform, the EU could take up to 16% (1/6) of your total business. That would be interesting. I do like the Starlink technical issues scenario, or the Dragon having some type of issue. That would have the Astronauts relying solely on Russia again to come and go to the ISS.
This makes me believe that Starlink AND the Falcon 9 “system” are strategic national necessities.
The thing to note is as Robert is fond pointing out – they are the children of Free Enterprise.
The ability of Starlink to facilitate real-time (or near) communication in conflict zones and (I think) the resiliency of the system due to its number of satellites makes it a hard system to fully defeat (again – I think).
The Falcon 9 showing low cost, but more importantly high reliability shows the systems ability to provide satellite replacement ability.
One caveat here is the limited launch sites. Could the military have secret locations of “hot-stand-by” Falcon 9s as a contingency? – maybe.
Hopefully our wise government will not screw things up in either of these cases by “improving” either with their “necessary programs”
One of my first jobs out of college was at a cell phone company. At that time most if not all American cell phone companies operated on a platform created by the Israeli company Amdocs. I believe they still all do. I did a search to see if Starlink used them but couldn’t find any information. (That also gives Mossad easy back door access to the world’s phone records.)