SpaceX is rapidly building a constellation of broadband Starlink satellites to provide high-speed internet globally. As of today, the company has launched around 2,200 internet-beaming satellites to Low Earth Orbit. This week, the company sent out emails to its Starlink customers stating that the U.S. rising inflation is affecting the company. On March 13, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced that "Tesla & SpaceX are seeing significant recent inflation pressure in raw materials & logistics."
Tesla & SpaceX are seeing significant recent inflation pressure in raw materials & logistics
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022
"Due to excessive levels of inflation, the price of the Starlink kit is increasing from $499 to $549 for deposit holders, and $599 for all new orders, effective today," the company wrote in the email on March 22. "In addition, the Starlink monthly service price will increase from $99 to $110. The new price will apply to your subscription on 5/20/2022. The sole purpose of these adjustments is to keep pace with rising inflation. If you do not wish to continue your service, you can cancel at any time and return your Starlink hardware within your first year of service for a partial refund of $200. If you have received your Starlink in the past 30 days, you can return it for a full refund," the company told its customers. According to multiple customers, the email was sent to people residing in the United States and Australia.
Since 2019, SpaceX has accumulated over half-a-million service pre-orders via Starlink.com and is providing internet to more than 250,000 subscribers across 29 countries. The company also recently delivered 'thousands' of Starlink user terminals to help Ukraine citizens amid the Russia invasion, according to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.
"Since launching our public beta service in October 2020, the Starlink team has tripled the number of satellites in orbit, quadrupled the number of ground stations and made continuous improvements to our network," they wrote in the email, "Going forward, users can expect Starlink to maintain its cadence of continuous network improvements as well as new feature additions. Thank you for being a Starlink customer and your continued support! The Starlink Team." For more information visit SpaceX official website Starlink.com.
Source: SpaceX emails to Starlink customers.
Featured Image Source: SpaceX
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
