A rare global outage struck SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service this week disrupting connectivity for over 60,000 users worldwide. The outage, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, has sparked renewed scrutiny over the reliability of the world’s fastest-growing satellite network.
What caused the Starlink outage?
According to Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s VP of Starlink Engineering, the outage stemmed from a failure of key internal software services that support Starlink’s core network. Users in the U.S., Europe, Canada, and other parts of the world lost access starting around 3 p.m. EDT.
In a public post, Nicolls promised a full investigation to “ensure it does not occur again.” CEO Elon Musk also issued a public apology, stating, “SpaceX will remedy the root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Who was affected?
- Over 60,000 outage reports were submitted to DownDetector.
- The disruption affected both residential users and institutional clients, including some rural areas that rely heavily on Starlink’s infrastructure.
- In Nigeria, where Starlink recently resumed direct shipments to Lagos, the outage was particularly frustrating for remote workers and small businesses.
Doug Madory, Director of Internet Analysis at Kentik, confirmed:
“This is likely the longest outage ever for Starlink, at least since it became a major service provider.”
Why this matters
Starlink serves over 6 million customers in 140+ countries, with use cases ranging from home internet to military and government communication systems. Its expanding global footprint includes a new partnership with Airtel Africa, aiming to deliver satellite-powered internet across nine African countries.
With such high stakes, a system-wide outage raises concerns about overdependence on a single vendor for critical infrastructure.
What users experienced
During the blackout, some customers reported misleading error messages via the Starlink app—such as dish obstructions—causing confusion over whether the issue was local or system-wide.
“It’s a real pain because there’s no way to tell if it’s your hardware or a broader outage,” said one rural Idaho user.
Meanwhile, Starlink.com and its availability map were inaccessible during parts of the outage, compounding user frustration.
What happens next?
Starlink says a fix has been implemented and services have mostly recovered. Still, questions remain about system resilience. With T-Mobile recently launching its cellular Starlink service and competitors like AST SpaceMobile entering the market, the pressure is mounting for SpaceX to maintain its edge.
Key takeaways
- Outage duration: ~2.5 hours
- Users affected: 60,000+
- Root cause: Internal software failure
- Global reach: Affected users in U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, and Australia
- Future risk: Highlights fragility of centralized internet services
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