Elon Musk's Starlink and its Impact on International Infrastructure

1min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Comments

Transcript

Episode notes

Elon Musk's Starlink, a commercial technology, is providing a service that governments should have done but didn't. It is seen as a public good, even though it is being provided by a private citizen. The power of Starlink's impact in Ukraine has caught the attention of other countries and they are now grappling with the idea of relying on Elon Musk. Taiwan, in particular, is hesitant to partner with Musk due to his business ties with China. Despite the vulnerability of Taiwan's internet infrastructure, the reluctance to collaborate with Musk stems from concerns about potential traps.

Satellites owned by Elon Musk’s Starlink orbit the earth and beam an internet connection to almost anywhere. In 2019, the company sent its first 60 or so satellites into orbit — today, it has some 4,500 circling the planet, with around 1.5 million customers across about 50 countries and territories.

Adam Satariano, a technology correspondent for The Times, details the company’s rise and power, and discusses the implications of one man’s controlling it all.

Guest: Adam Satariano, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: