Starlink down globally: Elon Musk’s satellite internet service faces major outage

Starlink, the satellite-based internet service operated by SpaceX, faced a widespread outage late on August 18, 2025, leaving thousands of users without connectivity. According to outage tracking platform Downdetector, reports of disruptions surged globally, with users citing internet failures, total blackouts, and poor reception.

Outage details

Data from Downdetector shows that reports spiked sharply around 11:23 PM IST on Sunday. The platform recorded over 39,000 reports in a short span, significantly above the normal baseline of five complaints. The incident marks one of the largest disruptions recorded for the service in recent months.

Reported issues

User feedback highlighted three primary categories of problems. Roughly 60 percent of affected subscribers reported complete loss of internet service, while 38 percent reported a total blackout where all services were unavailable. A smaller fraction, around 2 percent, indicated poor reception or intermittent connectivity.

Service scale

Starlink operates through a network of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit and has expanded its footprint to multiple countries, including the United States, parts of Europe, Asia, and Australia. Its key promise has been to deliver high-speed internet access in rural and underserved regions where traditional broadband services are limited. The outage therefore impacted not only urban users but also remote areas heavily reliant on the service.