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☆ Elon Musk's Starlink is aiding criminal mining efforts in Brazil's Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Starlink kits are being used for illegal mining efforts in Brazil, per the Associated Press. In Brazil, Starlink internet terminals have done just that. "You can manage hundreds of mining sites without ever setting foot in one." Before Starlink's internet service, illegal miners relied on heavy, stationary antennae, but the internet connection was often unreliable, per the AP. As Musk's Starlink service becomes more and more widespread, cases of misuse are to be expected.

☆ Why SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket looks unlike anything the company has ever built before
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Rupendra Brahambhatt | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Not only is Starship the world's largest, most powerful rocket, it also looks unlike anything SpaceX has ever built. Veronica G. Cardenas/ReutersThis silver-black color scheme is a vast change from SpaceX's white Falcon 9 rockets or NASA's orange and white Space Launch System. SpaceX's silver rocket made of steelSpaceX's Starship rocket is made of stainless steel. SpaceX's black-studded Starship spacecraftStarship is covered on one side with black tiles to help protect it upon atmospheric re-entry. SPACEXSpaceX wouldn't comment on whether, or not, that's the reasoning for their silver Starship rocket.

☆ Elon Musk hit back at ex-NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, saying SpaceX's Starlink should not be used to help fight the war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's SpaceX banned Ukraine from using its Starlink internet service for military purposes. Musk has defended his decision, saying Starlink should not be used to fight the war. Kelly tagged Musk in a tweet on Saturday, asking him to "restore the full functionality" of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites in Ukraine. But there have been reports of the Ukrainian military using Starlink on drones. The Times of London reported in March 2022 that a Ukrainian drone unit was using Starlink to help destroy Russian tanks and trucks at night.

☆ Elon Musk and astronaut Scott Kelly debate use of Starlink in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Comments by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell last week reignited the debate around how the company's Starlink hardware and service should be used in the Ukrainian conflict – leading CEO Elon Musk and high-profile former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly to weigh in. Kelly on Saturday called on Musk to "restore the full functionality of your Starlink satellites." In a roundtable conversation after her remarks, Shotwell said that Ukraine using Starlink as a communications system "for the military is fine." She specifically noted reports about Ukraine using Starlink "on drones." Ukrainian soldiers have described using Starlink to connect drones and identify and destroy enemy targets, the Times of London reported in March 2022.

☆ SpaceX President Says Satellite-Internet Business Expected to Make Money This Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Micah Maidenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A top executive at SpaceX said key business lines are making money, discussing how parts of the privately held company are performing. Gwynne Shotwell , who for years has led SpaceX as president alongside Elon Musk, said this week that one of its main rocket-launch offerings that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relies on had become a moneymaker for the company.

☆ Ukraine says SpaceX needs to pick a side after the company decided Kyiv can't use its Starlink internet for military drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Thursday that SpaceX needs to a pick a side in the war. SpaceX announced Ukraine wouldn't be allowed to use its internet services for military purposes like drones. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Thursday that SpaceX must choose to support either Kyiv or Russia after the company said that Ukraine can't use its Starlink internet service for military purposes. Podolyak said SpaceX can either be "on the side" of Ukraine and "the right to freedom" or the company can pick Russia and "its 'right' to kill and seize territories." According to BBC News, SpaceX took steps to limit Ukraine's ability to use the internet service for offensive measures like drones.

☆ Investing in Space: Starship in the D.C. spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. I'm in D.C. for the 25th annual Commercial Space Transportation conference. CSF executive members are a veritable who's-who of U.S. space companies founded in the 21st century. So why does the space industry care so much about Starship's success (or failure) to reach orbit? Notably relevant to this conference's host, SpaceX still needs a license from the FAA to launch Starship.

☆ SpaceX successfully test fires Starship booster in last key step before orbital launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SpaceX test fires engines in the towering rocket booster of its Starship prototype on February 9, 2023. SpaceX on Thursday test fired 31 of the 33 engines in the towering rocket booster of its Starship prototype, as the company prepares to launch the rocket to orbit for the first time. Called a "static fire," the milestone test is the final major hurdle before SpaceX tries to launch the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket to space. CEO Elon Musk said in a subsequent tweet that SpaceX turned off one engine before the test and another engine "stopped itself." SpaceX has steadily been building up to the first flight test of its Starship rocket.

CNN —SpaceX just attempted to ignite all 33 engines in a test fire of its gargantuan Super Heavy rocket booster. The Super Heavy booster started its engines for less than 10 seconds while still strapped to the launchpad. Only 31 engines were lit, however, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed Thursday in a tweet. SpaceX conducted the test fire without the Starship spacecraft mounted on top of the booster. It should be noted that SpaceX is still awaiting a license from the Federal Aviation Administration to move forward with an orbital flight test.

☆ SpaceX should choose between Ukraine and Russia - Ukrainian official
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX (SPACEa.NLB) should choose sides between Ukraine and Russia, a senior Ukrainian official said on Thursday, after the company said it was curbing Kyiv's use of Starlink internet devices for controlling drones. Mykhailo Podolyak, a political adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, criticised the decision on Twitter, another of billionaire Musk's companies. "SpaceX (Starlink) & Mrs. Shotwell should choose a specific option," he said. Ukraine's military uses thousands of Starlink devices to communicate in the field. Despite the importance of Starlink for Kyiv, Podolyak has criticised Musk more than once since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

☆ SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia, SpaceX's president said Wednesday. Speaking later with reporters, Shotwell referred to reports that the Ukrainian military had used the Starlink service to control drones. SpaceX has privately shipped truckloads of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, allowing the country's military to communicate by plugging them in and connecting them with the nearly 4,000 satellites SpaceX has launched into low-Earth orbit so far. Governments including the United States and France have paid for other shipments of Starlink terminals on top of those funded privately by SpaceX. Starlink had suffered services outages in Ukraine late last year, for reasons SpaceX did not explain.

☆ SpaceX never intended Starlink internet to be 'weaponized' in Ukraine, says COO
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

SpaceX's COO said the company didn't intend Starlink to be "weaponized" amid the war, per reports. Gwynne Shotwell claimed the Ukrainian military had used Starlink internet in "unintentional" ways. Ukraine has used Starlink for drones to help destroy Russian tanks, The Times reported last year. However, Shotwell claimed Ukraine had used Starlink "in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement," according to a report by Space News. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, SpaceX has provided thousands of Starlink dishes to Ukrainians and has helped Ukrainian troops stay online.

☆ SpaceX Limits Ukraine’s Military Use of Starlink Satellite Business
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Micah Maidenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—SpaceX has taken steps to limit Ukraine’s use of the company’s satellite-internet connections for military purposes, a top executive at the Elon Musk-founded company said Wednesday. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said SpaceX had worked to restrict the country from using Starlink, as the company’s satellite-internet business is called, for military purposes.

☆ SpaceX employees say they are relieved Elon Musk is focused on Twitter because there is a calmer work environment at the rocket company
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's focus on Twitter has made SpaceX a calmer place to work, some staff told Bloomberg. Musk's engagement in daily operations at SpaceX could create more work for staff, per the report. Current and former SpaceX staff, who requested to remain anonymous, told Bloomberg that they didn't require Musk's attention every day. When Musk is engaged in daily operations at SpaceX, it could lead to more work for staff, per the report. SpaceX and Twitter didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal US operating hours.

☆ Elon Musk's private jet hasn't flown to SpaceX's main launch site since he bought Twitter, jet-tracker claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk's private jet hasn't flown to Starbase in almost three months, per jet-tracking data. He has flown to airports near SpaceX HQ in LA, however, and could have used its planes to fly to Starbase. Prior to Musk's Twitter acquisition, Brownsville, Texas was one of the private jet's most frequent destinations, per Sweeney's flight data. However, Musk's private jet has flown to airports near SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California since the Twitter acquisition, including Los Angeles International Airport, Sweeney's data shows. After purchasing Twitter, Musk said his workload jumped from "70 to 80 hours a week to probably 120."

☆ SpaceX raising $750 million at a $137 billion valuation, investors include Andreessen-Horowitz
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's re-usable rocket maker and satellite internet company, SpaceX, is raising $750 million in a new round of funding that values the company at $137 billion, according to correspondence obtained by CNBC. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX was allowing insiders to sell at $77 per share, which would have put the company's valuation near $140 billion. The company raised more than $2 billion in 2022, including a $250 million round in July, and was valued at $127 billion during an equity round in May, CNBC previously reported. According to an e-mail sent to prospective SpaceX investors, Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z) will likely lead the new funding round. A16z also participated in Elon Musk's leveraged buyout of Twitter, a $44 billion deal that closed in late October 2022.

☆ Elon Musk actively searching for a new Twitter CEO, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk Twitter page seen on mobile with his poll to step down as head of TwitterTwitter owner and CEO Elon Musk is searching for a new chief executive of the company, sources told CNBC's David Faber. In court in November, Musk said, "I expect to reduce my time at Twitter and find somebody else to run Twitter over time." "The question is not finding a CEO, the question is finding a CEO who can keep Twitter alive," he wrote. Malicious bots or inauthentic accounts may also be able to register a response to a Twitter poll. Sources told Faber that Musk's search for a new CEO has been ongoing and began before the Twitter poll was made.

An image of new Twitter owner Elon Musk is seen surrounded by Twitter logos in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland on 08 November, 2022. On Sunday, Twitter's new owner and CEO Elon Musk posted an informal poll of users of the social media platform asking if he should step down as head of the company. In court in November, Musk said, "I expect to reduce my time at Twitter and find somebody else to run Twitter over time." "The question is not finding a CEO, the question is finding a CEO who can keep Twitter alive," he wrote. Tesla's largest retail shareholder, Leo Koguan, wrote in a tweet on Dec. 14, that "Elon abandoned Tesla and Tesla has no working CEO."

☆ NASA chief: SpaceX leader says Elon Musk’s Twitter drama is ‘nothing to worry about’
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

“Tell me that the distraction that Elon might have on Twitter is not going to affect SpaceX,” Nelson, recalling the conversation, said he asked Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and CEO. She’s running SpaceX,” Nelson said. Asked whether he has any concerns about SpaceX, Nelson said, “No, I don’t." NASA pays billions to SpaceX to shuttle astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station. “Look at what SpaceX is delivering in crew and cargo to the space station.”

☆ A 62-year old engineer alleges he was sidelined at SpaceX over fears that he might 'retire or die'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An engineer alleges he was sidelined at SpaceX over fears he might "retire or die." John Johnson, 62, made the allegations in an essay published on Wednesday on whistleblower site Lioness. John Johnson said he had been the victim of age discrimination at Elon Musk's rocket company in an essay published on Wednesday on the whistleblower website Lioness. In his essay, Johnson wrote that one engineer was asked to shadow him because there were fears he might "retire or die." In his essay Johnson wrote: "As an older white male, I hadn't confronted the impediments to success that many people face—until I started at SpaceX."

☆ Former SpaceX employees file labor-law complaint
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Eight former SpaceX employees filed labor-law complaints, alleging that Elon Musk’s space company unlawfully fired workers after they wrote company management a letter begging them to publicly condemn Musk’s “harmful” behavior on social media. The company, which Musk founded in 2002, is one of the most influential and powerful commercial space companies in the world. SpaceX has nearly 10,000 total employees, according to an NLRB complaint. The same day the letter was sent, Holland-Thielen and four others were fired, according to the NLRB complaint. “It’s shocking that SpaceX appears to believe that its mission of getting humans to Mars justifies turning a blind eye to workers’ basic civil rights,” Burgess said.

☆ Investing in Space: Starship on deck
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Starship prototype #24 conducts a test firing of six of its Raptor engines at the company's facility near Brownsville, Texas on Sept. 8, 2022. CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. The race between SpaceX and NASA to get their monster rockets into space tipped in the government's favor this week, with the Space Launch System (SLS) finally thundering off the launch pad – putting more pressure on Elon Musk's company to get Starship off the ground. Hours before SLS took off, NASA announced an additional Starship award under the lunar Artemis program. It's been more than two years since Musk declared Starship the company's top priority, and he's repeatedly set ambitious goals for the rocket's development.

☆ Want to work for Elon? Musk says he's going to be looking for someone else to run Twitter.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Matt Turner | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk said during testimony over his Tesla pay package that he's going to step back from Twitter over time. The richest person in the world said on Wednesday that he's eventually going to find someone else to run Twitter. "But then I would reduce my time [commitment] to Twitter, I'd find someone else to run Twitter over time." Musk has said previously he doesn't really care about the CEO title, though today he's technically CEO at Tesla, Twitter, and SpaceX, although at the latter he's well supported by SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell. Much of this "burst of activity" has been narrated by Musk himself via his Twitter feed.

☆ SpaceX shakes up Starship leadership in Texas as push for the rocket's next milestone intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An aerial view of a Starship prototype stacked on a Super Heavy booster at the company's Starbase facility outside of Brownsville, Texas. While Elon Musk earns daily headlines over changes at Twitter, a significant reorganization is underway at his space company's Texas launch facility. The space venture also quietly brought on Omead Afshar, a Texas-based Tesla operations lead, as a vice president of Starship production. SpaceX had hoped to conduct the first orbital Starship launch as early as summer 2021, but delays in progress and regulatory approval have pushed back that timeline. NASA last month said SpaceX most recently told the agency that Starship's first orbital launch could take place as soon as early December.

☆ SpaceX's Starlink users say their dishes have had lucky escapes with bears, bobcats, and floods: PHOTOS
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

When signing up to SpaceX's internet service, users receive a kit which comprises of a WiFi router, a tripod, and a dish which connects to the satellites in orbit. Nina Lyashonok/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe dish, also known as "Dishy," comes as part of the $600 kit, while the standard Starlink subscription lies at $110 per month. SpaceX in November 2021 updated the look of the Starlink dish from a circular shape to a rectangle, making it thinner and lighter than the original model. Gwynne Shotwell, the president of SpaceX, said in April 2021 the company had reduced the manufacturing cost of each Starlink terminal from $3,000 to $1,500. Despite the high price, Starlink customers were only charged $499 for the kit, she added.

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