Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to cement its dominance of the satellite internet market with a surge in revenues this year, but the world’s richest man’s ties to US President Donald Trump are shifting from an asset to a hindrance in its global rollout.
The billionaire’s SpaceX group is engaged in talks to rapidly bring the service to countries with 1bn potential new users, including holding negotiations with Turkey, Morocco and Bangladesh, while making progress towards regulatory approval in other vast markets such as India.
Musk’s alliance with Trump has also removed obstacles and monopoly concerns harboured by Biden-era officials, paving the way for lucrative federal contracts.