SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket during a launch at Kennedy Space Center (Florida, USA) carrying Starlink internet satellites into orbit
Reuters reported on June 25 that the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are testing billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, with the goal of using this technology in the upcoming fiscal year.
Japan's Defense Ministry already has access to communications via satellites in geostationary orbit, but SpaceX's Starlink technology will add more satellites in low-Earth orbit.
Many countries around the world are looking to build robust systems to guard against the risk of communications jamming or attacks on satellites in the event of conflict.
The JSDF has been testing Starlink since March with the system deployed at about 10 locations and in training.
Starlink technology is being used by Ukraine in the war, while Russia is seeking to block its use in the region. In October 2022, billionaire Musk said SpaceX could not fund the use of Starlink in Ukraine indefinitely.
Recently, the US Department of Defense revealed that it has signed a contract to provide Starlink services in Ukraine.
In addition to Japan, billionaire Musk is also targeting the Indian market, hoping to bring the Starlink satellite internet system to the country after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20.
Insider quoted billionaire Musk as saying that this service "can be reliably helpful" in remote villages.
However, experts say Mr. Musk will face strong competition from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Mr. Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Industries and Asia's richest man with a fortune of nearly $88 billion. The group owns Reliance Jio, India's leading telecommunications service provider with 439 million customers.
Starlink is lobbying the Indian government to grant a license for its satellite service in line with global practice, arguing that it is a natural resource that is distributed among companies, according to Reuters.
Reliance Jio has taken the opposite stance and called for an open auction to ensure a level playing field for foreign and domestic players in the traditional telecom space.
Meanwhile, according to Space.com , SpaceX launched another batch of 56 Starlink satellites into orbit on June 24, thanks to the Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX has launched more than 4,500 Starlink satellites into orbit, of which 4,200 are active, according to satellite tracking astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (USA).
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