SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that the company is gearing up to deploy a software update that will allow all Starlink satellite systems in areas affected by Hurricane Helene to work irrespective of payment.
What Happened: The update will be deployed by Tuesday night or Wednesday, the CEO added. Musk was responding to an X user who asked the CEO whether it was possible to make Starlink services free for the next 30 days in regions affected by the hurricane as setting them up is slowing down relief activities in North Carolina.
Musk on Monday also said that SpaceX has sent "as many Starlink terminals as possible" to areas in need since the Hurricane and is continuing to do so.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is also currently using multiple Starlink satellite systems to help with responder communication and more are being shipped to assist with restoring communication infrastructure, the agency said on Monday.
Starlink is the satellite internet segment of Musk’s SpaceX. It provides connectivity with a network of communication satellites in low-Earth orbit.
Why It Matters: Hurricane Helene has killed at least 162 people across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to CNN. Several are also missing.
In North Carolina, communities are still struggling to access necessities like food and water, and hundreds of roads are closed, the report added.
“Cellphone providers are working to fix the damage and coverage issues caused by the storm and get stopgap solutions, such as temporary cell phone towers, in place and rapid progress is being made. Restoring communications is critical to saving lives, finding where people are and getting in supplies, and Governor Cooper been in constant contact with cellphone companies urging action and offering support,” a Tuesday news release from the North Carolina governor's office read.
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