Starlink: How Elon Musk’s company influences geopolitics

Lack of internet access is a major problem in many regions of the world today.

Starlink was initially developed by the American tech billionaire Elon Musk to solve this problem. It was designed as a way of quickly getting the internet into regions all over the world where this was either impossible to do by conventional methods, or so expensive that it wasn't worth attempting.

Since then Starlink's field of application has widened significantly. It's used as a means of communication in disaster zones, but also by armies or protest movements, for example in regions where the existing internet has been destroyed by enemy fire or shut down by authoritarian governments.

How does Starlink work?

Starlink is a satellite-based system consisting of 10,000 small satellites located around the world. They transfer data packages via laser links and do not require a constant, direct visual link to a ground station.

Unlike other internet satellites, which orbit at around 36,000 kilometers above the Earth, Starlink satellites are only about 550 kilometers up. This means they can transmit internet signals much faster than the others.

All users need is a small receiver terminal with an electronically controlled antenna, which automatically steers toward the satellites as they pass overhead. The terminals receive signals from these satellites and transmit them to a nearby router, which supplies the broadband internet connection.

Where has Starlink already been deployed?

Ukraine: Since the start of Russia's full-scale war in February 2022, Starlink has become a vital instrument of communication in the war zone. The Ukrainian armed forces use Starlink to coordinate units, operate drones and control unmanned ground systems. In the civilian sector, the system is used by hospitals, emergency services, energy suppliers and the railway network.

The Russian army is also said to be accessing Starlink, using terminals smuggled in illegally via third countries. The Ukrainian defense ministry has said it is working closely with Starlink's operating company SpaceX to limit Russian usage as much as possible.

Sudan: In the Sudanese civil war, Starlink is used primarily by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group fighting against the internationally-recognised government. Hundreds of devices were smuggled into the country via the United Arab Emirates, and there is now a thriving black market for Starlink terminals in Sudan. The RSF use them to communicate and coordinate with their militias, while the Sudanese Armed Forces are trying to block both the import and use of the terminals.

Iran: In early January 2026, protests erupted all across the country against the regime in Tehran. The government's hardline response included a nationwide internet shutdown. Reportedly, thousands of Starlink terminals were smuggled into Iran and sold on the black market. This enabled the protest movement to go on coordinating demonstrations against the regime, using Starlink to circumvent state censorship of the internet.

Venezuela: Here too, Starlink has been used in the past to sidestep information blackouts and secure access to the internet. For a long time, the service was only available unofficially, by buying kits from local dealers. Following the US intervention in early January 2026, during which then-head of state, Nicolas Maduro, was taken prisoner, Musk offered the people of Venezuela a month's free broadband internet service via Starlink.

Gaza: Starlink has been used for humanitarian purposes in the devastated Gaza Strip since July 2024. Aid organisations and a field hospital use it to facilitate telemedical assistance and logistical coordination. Access for civilians remains limited because of Israeli security concerns.

Why has Starlink been criticised?

Starlink is often the only way to access the internet in conflict zones. This gives Musk and his operating company SpaceX tremendous influence. Previously, for example, Musk refused to activate Starlink in Ukraine to enable an attack in Crimea. US President Donald Trump has also threatened to switch off the satellites in Ukraine, as a way of forcing Kyiv to make concessions in peace negotiations.

There has also been criticism from an ecological perspective. The Starlink satellites have a lifespan of less than five years. Every day, on average, one or two of them burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. This releases aluminum oxide, which could affect the ozone layer, contributing to global warming. In addition, all those thousands of satellites reflect the sunlight, making the night sky brighter, and this may also have repercussions for the world's animals.

Any Starlink alternatives?

In an effort to break Starlink's monopoly, other companies, especially in Europe, are already working on alternatives. At present, the biggest private competitor to SpaceX is a company called Eutelsat. With a fleet of over 600 satellites, its OneWeb service is far smaller, focusing on business customers and maritime use.

But Eutelsat is also involved in the development of IRIS2 — an acronym for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite, an ambitious EU project to establish a highly secure satellite network. The aim is to make Europe less dependent on Starlink, but IRIS2 won't be operational before 2029.

Elon Musk also has competition inside the US from another billionaire, Jeff Bezos, whose company Amazon is currently working on Amazon Leo, known until recently as Project Kuiper. This is establishing a network of more than 3,200 new low-Earth-orbit satellites. Amazon plans to roll out the service later this year in the US, Canada, France, Britain and Germany.

The sky is clearly getting crowded. China is also refining two satellite communications systems of its own. Guowang, a state project conceived primarily for national and military purposes, will consist of up to 13,000 satellites, while another project, Qianfan, with an estimated 12,000 satellites, is more commercially oriented and aims to provide services to newly industrialised and developing countries. The first mass starts for both of these projects are planned for this year.

Thomas Latschan is an author and editor with a focus on global politics.

Disclaimer: This article first appeared on DW, and is published by special syndication arrangement.