Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet network experienced a major global outage early Thursday morning, affecting millions of users around the world, including a large number in Australia. The disruption, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, was attributed to an internal software failure, marking one of the most significant Starlink outages since the service began.
What Happened?
According to a statement released by Starlink on X (formerly Twitter), the Starlink internet outage began shortly after 6am AEST. The official notice read, “Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution.” The company’s Starlink outage map was also inaccessible during the downtime, leaving many users unable to verify service availability in their regions.
Michael Nicholls, Starlink’s Vice President of Engineering, confirmed that the Starlink down status was caused by a breakdown in “key internal software services that operate the core network.” Despite the disruption, the network has now “mostly recovered,” with ongoing investigations into preventing future incidents.
Impact on Users
The Starlink service outage affected more than 61,000 users globally, with notable concentrations of reports coming from the United States, Europe, and Australia. On Downdetector, a real-time outage tracking platform, thousands of users posted complaints ranging from total loss of internet to slow or intermittent connectivity.
In Australia, over 200,000 users rely on Starlink internet, particularly in regional and rural areas where traditional broadband services remain limited. Posts in Facebook groups such as Starlink Users Australia highlighted the sudden nature of the Starlink outage in Australia, with many users sharing memes and updates to cope with the disruption.
What Experts Are Saying
Doug Madory, an internet infrastructure analyst at Kentik, described the event as a “total outage”, unusual for SpaceX’s Starlink network. “This is likely the longest outage ever for Starlink,” he noted, adding that connectivity resumed around 7:58am AEST.
Cybersecurity expert Gregory Falco speculated that the outage could have resulted from a botched software update—drawing comparisons to the 2024 CrowdStrike incident that disrupted systems globally. While there’s no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, the scope and duration of the Starlink internet outage have raised questions about the resilience of satellite-based internet services.
Elon Musk Responds
Elon Musk took to X to personally apologize for the Starlink not working, assuring users that SpaceX is working to identify and remedy the root cause. He stated, “SpaceX will remedy the root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Since its launch, Starlink has grown to over 6 million users across more than 140 countries. The system relies on a constellation of more than 8,000 satellites launched by SpaceX since 2020. As the company scales toward even more sophisticated infrastructure—including direct-to-cell services—this Starlink outage serves as a reminder of the complexity and vulnerabilities within satellite-based broadband networks.
What Should You Do If Starlink Is Down?
If you’re still experiencing issues and asking, “Is Starlink down?”, the first step is to check the Starlink status on the official site or via Downdetector. You may also consider resetting your hardware or reaching out to Starlink’s customer support team.
Additionally, you can monitor the Starlink outage map (once restored) for real-time updates and community feedback in forums like Starlink Users Australia.
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