{"id":85323,"date":"2025-08-21T16:11:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T16:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/85323\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T16:11:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T16:11:09","slug":"starlink-power-cuts-reveal-vulnerabilities-of-space-based-internet-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/85323\/","title":{"rendered":"Starlink power cuts reveal vulnerabilities of space-based internet systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two major power cuts on Elon Musk’s Starlink<\/a> have shown how vulnerable satellite<\/a> internet systems can be, especially when compared to the more resilient fibre and mobile networks most people rely on.<\/p>\n

Even though these systems, which Jeff Bezos’s Amazon<\/a> is also developing through its Project Kuiper constellation, are helping to revolutionise global connectivity by reaching remote areas, the recent blackouts show they are still prone to disruptions.<\/p>\n

Starlink users across several continents lost service in July for more than an hour after a technical issue in the company\u2019s network software. <\/p>\n

Another power cut on Monday left thousands of customers in North America without internet access until engineers restored the system.<\/p>\n

More than 8,000 Starlink satellites operate 550km above Earth. Users connect to them with their own dish, which links to a satellite overhead before the signal is passed to ground stations that plug into the wider internet. <\/p>\n

Updated satellites also use laser links to transfer data between each other in space, which helps SpaceX reduce its reliance on ground stations and improve coverage in remote areas and over oceans.<\/p>\n

\"\"Why are space-based systems less reliable?<\/p>\n

Dr Sarath Raj, director of the satellite ground station at Amity University in Dubai, said a Starlink power cut is a reminder of the difference between centralised and decentralised systems. <\/p>\n

\u201cTerrestrial networks like fibre and mobile are designed with multiple redundant pathways and local rerouting, so a cut cable or a downed tower typically only affects a limited area,\u201d he told The National. <\/p>\n

\u201cStarlink, on the other hand, despite having thousands of satellites, depends heavily on its centralised control software. A single software glitch or misconfigured update can disrupt connectivity worldwide, creating a single point of failure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Raj said power cuts in traditional telecoms are usually caused by physical problems such as damaged cables, fallen towers or power failures, which tend to be limited to one area. <\/p>\n

But in low-Earth orbit constellations like Starlink, disruptions are more prone to be global and systemic, with the greater risks coming from software glitches or cyber attacks rather than individual satellites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vast number of satellites in Starlink\u2019s constellation provides impressive physical coverage, but that alone does not guarantee reliability,\u201d said Dr Raj.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real vulnerabilities lie in the ground-based infrastructure and control software, which act as the network\u2019s brains. <\/p>\n

\u201cCyber attacks on centralised routing systems, disruptions at ground gateways that link satellites to the global internet, or even exploits in user terminals could all degrade or shut down service on a large scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

How important is Starlink?<\/p>\n

Starlink was a crucial communications lifeline for Ukraine\u2019s military after Russia\u2019s invasion, restoring internet access where traditional networks had been destroyed. <\/p>\n

But when the service was first activated in 2022, Mr Musk warned it could also be hit by cyber attacks.<\/p>\n

Mr Musk posted on X at the time: \u201cImportant warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so probability of being targeted is high. Please use with caution.\u201d <\/p>\n

Xianbin Wang, research chairman at the Trusted Communications and Computing at Western University, Canada, said low-Earth orbit (Leo) systems are less robust overall. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs a standalone internet service provider, Leo networks are much less resilient than fibre and mobile networks,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cTraditional telecom systems are developed with highly redundant capacity and architecture. As a comparison, Leo satellite networks have very limited capacity and redundancy. <\/p>\n

\u201cConsequently, the outage probability in such networks is expected to be much higher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Raj echoed Mr Wang\u2019s comments and said that Starlink does provide \u201cimpressive coverage\u201d but the real vulnerabilities lie in its ground-based infrastructure and control software, which act as the network\u2019s \u201cbrains\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cCyber attacks on centralised routing systems, disruptions at ground gateways that link satellites to the global internet, or even exploits in user terminals could all degrade or shut down service on a large scale,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

What are the advantages?<\/p>\n

Despite these risks, the internet satellites do still fill a crucial gap, especially in remote and conflict-hit areas where terrestrial networks are unavailable. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe advantage of the satellite communication is its global coverage, including remote but critical areas,\u201d Mr Wang said. <\/p>\n

\u201cDepending on the needs and situations, Leo satellite networks could play a critical role.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Raj said that because of the growing reliance on these systems, internet satellites should be considered part of a country\u2019s critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarlink has evolved from an innovative service into a strategic asset, relied upon by remote communities and even militaries in conflict zones such as Ukraine,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor this reason, it should be treated as critical infrastructure, similar to power grids, water systems and terrestrial telecom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regulating such a system, however, is complicated because Starlink is a private company serving a global customer base. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis creates jurisdictional challenges as it is unclear which authorities set the rules and ensure compliance when the service spans multiple countries,\u201d said Dr Raj.<\/p>\n

The rules on fostering in the UAE<\/p>\n

A foster couple or family must:<\/p>\n

be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
\nnot be younger than 25 years old
\nnot have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
\nbe free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
\nhave the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
\nundertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
\nA single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
\nLiving in…<\/p>\n

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country\u2019s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.<\/p>\n

Short-term let permits explained<\/p>\n

Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website<\/a> to obtain a permit.<\/p>\n

Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.<\/p>\n

There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.<\/p>\n

Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.<\/p>\n

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets’HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET’<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

Indika<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2011%20Bit%20Studios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Odd%20Meter%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%205%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

COMPANY%20PROFILE<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

THE DETAILS<\/p>\n

Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2\/5<\/p>\n

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsThe biog<\/p>\n

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia<\/p>\n

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins<\/p>\n

Favourite dish: Grilled fish<\/p>\n

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed’s visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.<\/p>\n

The%20specs%20<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

Kill%20<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nikhil%20Nagesh%20Bhat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Lakshya%2C%20Tanya%20Maniktala%2C%20Ashish%20Vidyarthi%2C%20Harsh%20Chhaya%2C%20Raghav%20Juyal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

The specs<\/p>\n

AT4 Ultimate, as tested<\/p>\n

Engine: 6.2-litre V8<\/p>\n

Power: 420hp<\/p>\n

Torque: 623Nm<\/p>\n

Transmission: 10-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)<\/p>\n

On sale: Now<\/p>\n

Cricket World Cup League 2<\/p>\n

UAE squad<\/p>\n

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind<\/p>\n

Fixtures<\/p>\n

Friday, November 1 \u2013 Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 \u2013 UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 \u2013 UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 \u2013 Netherlands v UAE<\/p>\n

What are the main cyber security threats?<\/p>\n

Cyber crime – This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism – Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare – Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country\u2019s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.<\/p>\n

Jetour T1 specs<\/p>\n

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged<\/p>\n

Power: 254hp<\/p>\n

Torque: 390Nm<\/p>\n

Price: From Dh126,000<\/p>\n

Available: Now<\/p>\n

Who was Peter Glaser?
\nDr Peter Glaser was a Czech-born space tech pioneer who moved to the United States in 1948 where he studied mechanical engineering at Columbia.
\nHe is best known as the inventor of the Solar Power Satellite, a concept which he presented in the journal Science in 1968 under the title Power from the Sun: It\u2019s Future.
\nFive years later, he was granted a US patent to supply power from space, however it was considered too large to launch economically from Earth.
\nIt was suggested it could be constructed in space, using lunar and asteroid materials, by a team permanently based in space, but it was never put into practice.
\nHe was project manager for the Apollo 11 \u2018Laser Ranging Retroflecter Array\u2019 which was installed on the moon in 1969.
\nHe served on several Nasa committees and was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame\u00a0in 1996.
\nHe died in 2014, aged 87
\nAbout Okadoc<\/p>\n

Date started: Okadoc,\u00a02018<\/p>\n

Founder\/CEO:\u00a0Fodhil Benturquia<\/p>\n

Based:\u00a0Dubai, UAE<\/p>\n

Sector:\u00a0Healthcare<\/p>\n

Size: (employees\/revenue)\u00a040 staff; undisclosed revenues recording \u201cdouble-digit\u201d monthly growth<\/p>\n

Funding stage:\u00a0Series B fundraising round to conclude in February<\/p>\n

Investors: Undisclosed<\/p>\n

How to get there<\/p>\n

Emirates (www.emirates.com<\/a>) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com<\/a>) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
\u00a0<\/p>\n

US tops drug cost charts<\/p>\n

The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.<\/p>\n

Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.<\/p>\n

In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average,\u00a0while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.<\/p>\n

Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The study\u2019s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.<\/p>\n

High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.<\/p>\n

Killing of Qassem SuleimaniThe biog<\/p>\n

From: Upper Egypt<\/p>\n

Age: 78<\/p>\n

Family: a daughter in Egypt;\u00a0a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila<\/p>\n

Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near\u00a0to Emirates Palace<\/p>\n

Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace<\/p>\n

Race card<\/p>\n

1.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m<\/p>\n

2pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m<\/p>\n

2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m<\/p>\n

3pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1.950m<\/p>\n

3.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m<\/p>\n

4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m<\/p>\n

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m<\/p>\n

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi’s%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

The\u00a0specs <\/p>\n

Engine: 2.4-litre\u00a04-cylinder<\/p>\n

Transmission: CVT\u00a0auto<\/p>\n

Power: 181bhp<\/p>\n

Torque: 244Nm<\/p>\n

Price: Dh122,900\u00a0<\/p>\n

The five pillars of IslamVolvo ES90 Specs<\/p>\n

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)<\/p>\n

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp<\/p>\n

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm<\/p>\n

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region<\/p>\n

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA<\/p>\n

The Vines – In Miracle Land
Two stars<\/p>\n

I Feel Pretty
Dir: Abby Kohn\/Mark Silverstein
Starring: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Emily Ratajkowski, Rory Scovel
\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0specs<\/p>\n

Engine:\u00a06.2-litre\u00a0supercharged\u00a0V8<\/p>\n

Power:\u00a0712hp\u00a0at\u00a06,100rpm<\/p>\n

Torque:\u00a0881Nm\u00a0at\u00a04,800rpm<\/p>\n

Transmission:\u00a08-speed\u00a0auto<\/p>\n

Fuel\u00a0consumption:\u00a019.6\u00a0l\/100km<\/p>\n

Price:\u00a0Dh380,000<\/p>\n

On\u00a0sale:\u00a0now\u00a0<\/p>\n

THE DETAILS<\/p>\n

Deadpool 2<\/p>\n

Dir: David Leitch<\/p>\n

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz<\/p>\n

Four stars<\/p>\n

THE BIO<\/p>\n

Favourite book: \u2018Purpose Driven Life\u2019 by Rick Warren<\/p>\n

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland<\/p>\n

Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers<\/p>\n

Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum<\/p>\n

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two major power cuts on Elon Musk’s Starlink have shown how vulnerable satellite internet systems can be, especially…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":85324,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2574,64,63,3120,237,5437,156,155,105,14915],"class_list":["post-85323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-internet","tag-amazon","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-elon-musk","tag-internet","tag-spacex","tag-standard","tag-story","tag-technology","tag-uae-desk-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85323\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}