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How reliable is Starlink as a wartime communications line?

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Ralph Martin
January 21, 2026

Starlink has helped some news and images get out of Iran during protests this month despite a government-imposed internet blackout. Here's how the technology works — and the risks it involves.

Operated by SpaceX, Starlink has offered free access in past crises, including during protests in Iran in 2022 and after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But the system carries a structural risk: access ultimately depends on decisions by its owner, Elon Musk.

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