Ukraine wants to join Elon Musk's Starlink project – Digital transformation minister

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov has said the ministry is establishing communication with Elon Musk's SpaceX to propose that Ukraine be one of the first test sites for the launch of the Starlink Internet satellite system in Europe.

Read alsoUkraine helps Elon Musk deliver satellite to NASA facility (Photo)He made the comment at the All-Ukrainian Forum, titled "Ukraine 30. Small- and Medium-sized Businesses and the State," as reported by an UNIAN correspondent on March 19.

"We want to join the pilot [project] and will do our best to build a base station needed for participation in this project," the minister said.

According to Fedorov, the ministry and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleh Urusky are working out a business model of where exactly Starlink technologies could be used in Ukraine.

"We support this initiative, and we want Ukraine to be one of the first to join the pilot [project]. We've prepared a proposal and analyzed what we need to build in terms of infrastructure. And now we're getting help in establishing communication with Starlink. We offer Ukraine as a third or fourth pilot site in Europe," he added.

Background

The launch of SpaceX's Starlink satellite Internet may take place in 2022.

Memo

• Starlink is a global satellite system deployed by SpaceX to provide high-speed broadband Internet access in areas where it was unreliable, expensive or completely inaccessible.
• SpaceX plans to provide commercial Internet access services in the northern part of the United States and Canada in 2020 and worldwide in 2021. The total investment for the project is estimated at US$10 billion.