Thousands of internet connections disrupted due to Elon Musk's Starlink service failure
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Starlink, the satellite internet service provider operated by SpaceX, experienced a significant outage on Thursday (24 July) that affected users across the globe. The outage, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, disrupted internet connectivity for many users, including critical ones like the Ukrainian military.
The outage was triggered by a configuration error during a routine software update aimed at improving inter-satellite communication. This update introduced a critical misconfiguration that caused a cascading failure from a single node, disrupting the entire satellite constellation’s ability to relay data.
SpaceX engineering leadership confirmed that the failure involved internal software services crucial for network operation. The outage significantly disrupted users globally, affecting key operations in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Ukraine.
Elon Musk, the tech mogul behind SpaceX, responded by apologizing publicly on his social media platform, X/Twitter, stating that the outage would be resolved shortly and promising that SpaceX would fully investigate the root cause to ensure it does not happen again. He described the incident as a "cascading failure triggered by a single node update," emphasizing the company's commitment to remedy the issue permanently.
Service was restored in about 2.5 hours after SpaceX engineers quickly implemented a solution. Musk’s public statements included apologies and a pledge to prevent such outages in the future by addressing root causes carefully.
Starlink, which functions as a telecommunications provider using a large array of satellites to deliver internet connectivity, has over six million users in approximately 140 countries and territories. The current deployment is part of a broader plan to launch up to 12,000 satellites, with regulatory approval for a potential increase to 34,400 in the future.
As of May 2025, Starlink operates more than 7,600 small satellites in low Earth orbit. The network issue affected more than 60,000 people worldwide, but service has since been restored.
[1] BBC News, "Starlink: SpaceX's satellite internet service suffers global outage," 25 July 2022, www.bbc.com/news/technology-62204363
[2] The Verge, "Starlink outage: What we know so far," 25 July 2022, www.theverge.com/2022/7/25/23274422/starlink-outage-spacex-satellite-internet-service-down-ukraine-military
[3] Ars Technica, "Starlink outage: SpaceX's satellite internet service suffers global outage," 25 July 2022, arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/07/starlink-outage-spacexs-satellite-internet-service-suffers-global-outage/
[4] CNET, "Starlink outage: What we know so far," 25 July 2022, www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/starlink-outage-what-we-know-so-far/
[5] TechCrunch, "Starlink outage: SpaceX's satellite internet service suffers global outage," 25 July 2022, techcrunch.com/2022/07/25/starlink-outage-spacexs-satellite-internet-service-suffers-global-outage/
- The outage experienced by Starlink, a significant provider of satellite internet services operated by SpaceX, highlighted the intertwining of science and technology, as a configuration error during a software update in space-and-astronomy caused financial implications for users globally.
- Elon Musk, a renowned figure in the sector of technology and finance, emphasized the importance of upholding high standards in science and engineering to prevent future outages of Starlink's satellite internet service, which serves over six million users in various countries and territories, directly impacting their daily lives and financial activities.
