Developed and launched by Elon Musk and SpaceX in 2015, Starlink is a constellation of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites that increases network interconnectivity speeds. The fast-growing developments in satellite technology has the potential to enhance world connectivity by digitally connecting rural areas with developed cities to foster economic development, media connection, and education. However, despite the benefits of Starlink’s technology, some experts believe without proper regulation, such technologies could be exploited to worsen pre-existing problems such as: poverty, inequalities, and international tensions. In order to prevent such detrimental effects, it is crucial for satellite technologies such as Starlink to be regulated.
How Satellites Bridge the World
The introduction of Starlink to underserved areas has already resulted in exceptional improvements. One noteworthy success was Starlink’s connection services in the Amazon rainforest. Before the introduction of satellites, the Marubo tribe barely had any connection with the outside world; it would take days or weeks for outsiders to reach their village, let alone any form of technology. However, with the introduction of Starlink, tribes in this remote region now have unlimited access to the global network, providing them with tools for communication, entertainment, and education. Starlink has also proven to be especially helpful in the aftermath of natural disasters, allowing citizens who are stranded, trapped, and cut off from communications to connect with friends and family and reach government workers for help. In 2022, Hurricane Ian severely damaged Florida’s communication infrastructure, such as power stations and power lines, preventing millions of people from accessing crucial post-hurricane information. Since traditional telecommunications were down, the government quickly deployed Starlink, allowing LEO satellite networks to be deployed in areas with no connection, connecting 45,000 Floridians to the internet in the first 60 hours. Similarly, when Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina in 2024, Starlink provided internet access to hard-hit mountain towns within the first few days, providing vital connections to isolated communities who needed food, water, and rescue.
Inequalities Created by Satellites
Despite its potential to transform our world, the deployment of privately owned satellite technologies like Starlink poses significant global threats due to their effectiveness when applied to the military. In 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Starlink terminals were sent to Ukraine to help with communications. The kits gave Ukraine an upper hand in communication and strategy. One such improvement was the enhancement of drone precision and targeting which improved coordination between soldiers, allowing Ukrainian soldiers to communicate in war zones where combat has blocked cell phone signals. But when viewed from the military perspective, enhancement in Ukrainian technology would lead to more Russian casualties. After Ukraine’s successful drone coordination and improved intelligence acquisition, Musk later decided in 2022 to restrict Ukrainian access to these satellites in Russia-controlled peninsula Crimea. He feared that Starlink might be used as “war machines” rather than as methods for communication. Prolonging warfare through bloodshed would contradict Starlink’s founding mission to aid civilians and promote peace through connectivity. Beyond the context of military use, Starlink could also exacerbate economic inequality by disproportionately benefiting wealthier nations, leaving economically disadvantaged areas further behind. Starlink’s high cost imposes significant limitations on underdeveloped nations. In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, the initial cost of a Starlink satellite dish is approximately 600 dollars. While not terribly expensive from the perspective of a nation like the U.S., this pricing is unaffordable for most households in underdeveloped countries such as Nigeria, where the average household monthly income is around 63 dollars, and according to NGO Space in Africa, there are less than 30,000 subscribers in Nigeria while the U.S. has millions. By the end of 2024, only eight countries in Africa received Starlink aid, and Starlink was even blocked in approval in countries like Congo. In contrast to Nigeria, one of many impoverished African nations, the Amazon’s Marubo are unique in that they are one of the few surviving primitive tribes in the world, receiving the attention of reporters and government subsidies. Even though the Marubo tribe is impoverished, their role as one of the last remaining tribes stood out compared to the rest, intriguing many people to help. They even caught the attention of American entrepreneur Allyson Reneau, who funded the tribe’s Starlink terminals. The drastic difference in economic viability illustrates a broader trend: Without strategies to address affordability, Starlink risks furthering the economic disparities.
Starlink offers solutions to critical global challenges, from bridging digital divides to aiding disaster response, but also poses risks, including military inequality, geopolitical tensions, and the aggravation of inequality. To ensure that technologies like Starlink serve humanity fairly, nations must collaborate to ensure strict and fair regulations of new technology. Governments should adopt policies (such as the Outer Space Treaty of 1966 which emphasizes an equal, responsible, and weapon-free space environment) that promote affordability to users and transparency toward the world. To address affordability, it is possible to subsidize costs based on income and geographical location, such as the Lifeline program in the U.S. where there are strict regulations and criteria to make sure that subsidies only apply to those truly in need; and to promote transparency, nations and governments should collect feedback from rural and underserved communities and share it globally to prevent exploitation in everything from warfare to addressing poverty.
It is vital that space law evolves and keeps up with constantly improving technology to ensure that innovation does not come at the cost of long-term sustainability. By combining responsible governance with equitable access for all, LEO satellites could be the transformative factor to bridge nations and build a world founded on equity and collaboration.
