- Social media speculation linking Elon Musk’s Starlink with the missing Titanic sub is highly unlikely and virtually impossible, as Starlink cannot be used for underwater communication.
- According to OceanGate, the submersible utilized a sonar system to communicate with its mother ship.
It is highly unlikely that Elon Musk’s Starlink played a role in the disappearance of the Titanic submersible, especially if the vessel is still intact underwater.
Since the submersible lost contact with its mother ship on Sunday, social media has been filled with speculation regarding Musk’s internet service being the cause.
These speculations stem from tweets by OceanGate Expeditions, the company operating the submersible. They credited Starlink for providing the necessary communication during this year’s Titanic Expedition.
OceanGate wrote on June 2, “Despite being in the middle of the North Atlantic, we have the internet connection we need to make our #Titanic dive operations a success — thank you @Starlink!”
Starlink acknowledged OceanGate’s message, tweeting, “Internet from space supporting Titanic dive expedition.”
—Starlink (@Starlink) June 8, 2023
However, according to OceanGate’s website, the submersible did not use Starlink for communication with its mother ship.
OceanGate relies on a sonar or acoustic system for contact with the submersible. Through this system, the vessel’s pilot and up to four passengers would receive text messages from the mother ship, Polar Prince.
The crew aboard Polar Prince also tracked Titan’s location using this acoustic system. There are no other communication links between the two vessels.
While there is a Wi-Fi network in the submersible, it is solely used for connecting devices within the vessel, as stated by OceanGate.
Starlink’s current technology is virtually incapable of operating at extreme depths, as satellites use high-frequency radio waves that can only penetrate a few inches of seawater.
The Titan submersible lost contact with Polar Prince approximately an hour and 45 minutes into its journey to the Titanic’s shipwreck, which resides 13,000 feet below the surface.
Considering that the submersible typically takes around two and a half hours to reach the Titanic, it was likely already thousands of feet below the surface when contact was lost.
It is possible that Starlink was used to provide internet access to the crew and passengers aboard Polar Prince. David Pogue, a CBS correspondent who experienced the Titan in 2022, confirmed that Wi-Fi was available on the ship.
OceanGate also informed Fox Weather that if the submersible manages to resurface, it is designed to establish contact with Polar Prince via Starlink.
“The Titanic submarine is designed to automatically surface if it encounters trouble and maintain contact with the surface vessel through an internet connection powered by Elon Musk’s Starlink system,” stated OceanGate.
Authorities from the US and Canada are conducting a search at the Titanic wreck site using planes and ships, though the search area is remote and extensive.
Starlink could potentially play a role in locating the Titan if it resurfaces. However, search and rescue teams fear that the submersible may be resting on the ocean floor at such great depths that only unmanned vehicles can attempt recovery.
Regardless of the situation, the submersible must be intact, and rescuers are racing against time as the onboard oxygen is expected to expire by Thursday afternoon Eastern Time. Another worst-case scenario is if the submersible’s hull has already been breached, resulting in fatalities.
Meanwhile, Musk responded to allegations linking Starlink to the Titan’s disappearance. He commented on a post about Starlink and the vessel, saying, “You can’t even run a good psy-op.”
OceanGate has not yet responded to a request for comment outside regular business hours.
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