The world’s richest man is using his Space X company to help Ukrainians continue to communicate with each other at a time of national emergency.
After Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week, internet services across the war-torn country, including its capital city of Kyiv have been spotty, according to the internet group Netblocks.
On Saturday, Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice prime minister and head of digital operations in Ukraine, tweeted a message to Elon Musk.
“@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand,” he wrote.
Human to human. Wish we could all be an Elon, able to help when/where it matters most. pic.twitter.com/39whbH4W9N
— Achi Mima (@AchiMima) February 27, 2022
Musk replied, “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.”
Space X’s Starlink service internet works by sending information through the vacuum of space, where it travels much faster than in fiber-optic cable and can reach far more people and places, according to the company’s website. “While most satellite internet services today come from single geostationary satellites that orbit the planet at about 35,000km, Starlink is a constellation of multiple satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km, and cover the entire globe.”
Fedorov responded, “Starlink terminals are coming to Ukraine! Thank you @elonmusk, thank you, everyone, who supported Ukraine!”
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This is not the first time that Musk has answered the call to help people in times of trouble.
Reuters reports Musk and SpaceX recently sent 50 Starlink terminals to the island nation of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean to provide free internet access to help reconnect remote villages thereafter a massive volcano eruption and tsunami in January.
Since 2019, SpaceX has launched over 2,000 satellites for the constellation, which is expected to reach up to 14,000 in its initial form. The company’s most recent launch occurred on Friday (Feb. 25), when SpaceX lofted 50 new Starlink satellites into orbit from a pad at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, according to Space.com.
Musk received many compliments from people around the world for his generosity, including political commentator Scott Adams who tweeted, “Pushes a button and changes the course of history.”
Pushes a button and changes the course of history. https://t.co/GGxrjI5OL6
— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) February 27, 2022
But perhaps the compliment Musk liked most was the simple tweet from his mother Maye Musk.
“@elonmusk Wonderful! #ProudMom #StopTheWar #Ukraine,” she wrote.
@elonmusk Wonderful! #ProudMom #StopTheWar #Ukraine https://t.co/WGPEFNmmbM
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) February 26, 2022
As CBN News reported in January, during an interview with the satire website, The Babylon Bee, a real question of salvation came up.
The Bee’s Creative Director Ethan Nicolle asked the SpaceX entrepreneur, “We’re wondering if you could do us a quick solid and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? … Personal Lord and Savior. It’s a quick prayer.”
Musk sat stunned for a few seconds. Then he responded, “I agree with the principles that Jesus advocated. There’s some great wisdom in the teachings of Jesus, and I agree with those teachings.”
He continued, “Things like ‘turn the other cheek’ are very important, as opposed to ‘an eye for an eye’. An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind,” Musk said. “Forgiveness is important and treating people as you would wish to be treated. ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.'”
“But hey, if Jesus is saving people, I mean, I won’t stand in His way,” Musk added. “Sure, I’ll be saved. Why not?”
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