Thousands of people reported an outage with their Starlink internet service, starting around 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 18.
The service Down Detector reported a large spike in user error reports at this time, which peaked just before 2 p.m. The majority of these users reported either a "total blackout" of Starlink services or problems with their satellite internet. (Disclosure: Down Detector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same company that owns Mashable.)
Starlink is a satellite internet service, and the company operates the world's largest constellation of satellites, with more than 6,750 satellites in orbit simultaneously. This allows the company to provide high-speed internet to remote locations or regions of the world that lack traditional internet service. The company is a subsidiary of SpaceX, and both companies are owned by Elon Musk.
Starlink suffered a global satellite internet outage in July 2025. The company confirmed the July outage on X; however, as of this writing, the SpaceX and Starlink X accounts have not provided any updates or confirmation related to an outage.
On Down Detector, users across the United States reported problems connecting to the internet, with some users saying the service was quickly restored.
Mashable attempted to contact SpaceX for more information, and we'll update this story if we receive a response.
This is a developing story...
Topics Apps & Software SpaceX
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
