Starlink is helping many people in Ukraine, including a friend of mine who is on the ground helping to train the military. Gia Santos shared her story of how Starlink has helped her to stay connected.
She recently wrote an article in Vocal titled, Don’t forget how Starlink helped Ukraine since the beginning of the war. That article has been something she’s been working on as a way to share her story and the story of the Sons of Liberty International, (SOLI) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has members in Ukraine helping to train the military.
In her article, Gia shares how Starlink is helping her, her fellow volunteers, and Ukrainians stay online. She writes, “A young Ukrainian volunteer shared with me recently… how Starlink is being used in towns and remote areas in Ukraine which help Ukrainians stay in touch.”
When she first told me she was going to Ukraine to help, I feared for her life and safety. However, I support her and know that she is following her heart. Starlink enables her to stay in contact with me and others. Since I’ve been writing about Starlink and interviewing users, I thought it would be great to include her story as well.
Gia told me,
“The nonprofit military organization which I’m doing volunteer work with here in Ukraine had the opportunity to utilize Starlink for a podcast interview with Judge Napolitano who spoke with the founder of SOLI, Matt Van Dyke about the Ukraine-Russia war.”
SOLI is providing free training-advising to the Ukrainian military and has been since March 2022. I asked her how it felt knowing that Starlink is helping to keep her connected online in a situation where without it, she’d be disconnected. Gia told me,
“I feel less anxious knowing that Starlink can keep me connected here to chat, and communicate with family, and friends back in the U.S. Simultaneously… it helps us do the work we need to do here while maintaining encrypted communication and supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”
“I have anxiety so I wanted to share that above because I felt anxious while traveling, and slightly anxious after arriving due to the obvious differences in language, culture, etc., until I got connected to the internet again, thanks Starlink! being connected is important for safety, work, and keeping connected to loved ones and friends back home,” Gia added.
Her article also emphasized the importance of not forgetting how Elon Musk helped Ukraine. Although his recent tweets were the equivalent of ripping a bandaid off an open wound, I think he was only trying to help. Elon has said plenty of times that he loves humanity.
His concern is for the loss of lives on both sides of the war. Many often forget about Elon’s love of humanity and his fear of us as a species going extinct. The light of consciousness is something he wants to preserve and this, I believe, is what motivates him.
He founded SpaceX to make humans a multi-planetary species. His other companies such as Tesla are focused on helping the earth with clean vehicles and renewable energy. His foundation has helped many people in need especially those impacted by climate change.
Yet his tweets were very hurtful to many in Ukraine and he was mistaken as someone who supports Russia. His message for peace would require a huge sacrifice from Ukraine, a nation that has given up a lot already.
I don’t blame Ukraine for not wanting to make those sacrifices. After all, it was Russia that started this senseless war. Yet if it continues, Elon is right. There will be massive losses of life on both sides.
There is no easy solution. People like my friend Gia are putting their lives on the line to help. And she wanted to emphasize that it’s because of Elon Musk, whose kind donations of Starlink are why she and her fellow volunteers as well as the Ukrainians they are helping are able to stay connected.
Your feedback is important. If you have any comments, concerns, or see a typo, you can email me at johnna@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter at @JohnnaCrider1.
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Tesla is reportedly mulling the potential revamp of its $25,000 vehicle project, a strange report claims.
It seems unlikely, especially since Tesla launched two new, more affordable models last week with the Model 3 and Model Y Standard trims.
However, a report from European media outlet 36kr claims Tesla has started to advance two vehicle projects, internally codenamed E41 and D50, in China.
People familiar with the matter reportedly told the outlet that “some design and verification reports of the new projects are inherited from the current Model Y and Model 3.”
Tesla axed one of the Model Y’s best features in ‘Standard’ trims: here’s why
These new simplified models would be priced between $5,000 and $5,500 cheaper than what the new ‘Standard’ trims cost. The report also claims that these vehicles would be launched only if the new ‘Standard’ models “fall short of sales expectations.”
$TSLA 🇺🇸 BREAKING 🚨 Tesla is reportedly restarting work on its NV91 and NV93 projects for models smaller than the Model Y 💥
The NV91 project refers specifically to the $25,000 vehicle that CEO Elon Musk had mentioned, a model that was halted in Feb.2024 despite being… pic.twitter.com/L8TDvzmNwm
— Ming (@tslaming) October 14, 2025
This report suggests that potentially more affordable models are being offered, but this seems unlikely, considering Tesla launched the two Standard models just last week, and the only truly affordable model it is working on will be the Cybercab.
However, there is potential for a car to launch that undercuts the newest configurations of the Model 3 and Model Y. As of now, it just seems as if it is something that is far-fetched.
When Tesla’s patent for the unboxed process was published just last month, it seemed more than obvious that the vehicle it would be used for was the Cybercab.
The language used in the patent itself was geared toward more streamlined and quality production and manufacturing, which Tesla must implement to meet the likely demand for the vehicle.
It will be easier to scale vehicles with the unboxed process, and the Cybercab has been routinely mentioned with the sub-$30,000 price tag, even by CEO Elon Musk.
He said during the Q3 2024 Earnings Call:
“I think having a regular 25K model is pointless. It would be silly. Like it would be completely at odds with what we believe…It’s fully considered cost per mile is what matters. And if you try to make a car that is essentially a hybrid, manual, or automatic car, it’s not going to be as good as a dedicated autonomous car. So, yes, Cybercab is just not going to have steering wheels and pedals.”
SpaceX aces its eleventh Starship test launch on Monday evening, marking the company’s second consecutive takeoff that crossed off each of the planned mission objectives.
It was also the final launch of the V2 Starship rocket. The twelfth test flight will feature the larger V3 Starship rocket, followed by V4, which will eventually make the first trip to Mars.
The launch was overwhelmingly successful. In its 12th test flight, SpaceX was able to achieve every major mission objective, including the second successful deployment of Starlink satellite simulators and the relight of a Raptor engine while in space. The latter achievement demonstrated “a critical capability for future deorbit burns,” the company said.
The ship officially launched at 6:23 p.m. local time in Starbase, Texas, with all 33 engines igniting and sending the Ship to space.
Liftoff of Starship! pic.twitter.com/sbfmGAEPa6
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2025
Stage separation occurred just over eight minutes later, and Super Heavy started its descent back to the Gulf of America, where it successfully splashed down. The first part of the launch was complete.
Starlink simulators were deployed about twenty-one minutes after launch, as the Pez dispenser sent the faux-satellites out to space without any issue:
Starship has successfully deployed our @Starlink simulators pic.twitter.com/muNMalZkbT
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2025
Perhaps the most anticipated part of the launch was with Starship’s banking maneuver and subsequent splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Prior to Starship 11’s launch and successful re-entry and splashdown, SpaceX had lost a few vehicles during this portion of the previous flights.
However, the company had made tremendous improvements and has now aced two consecutive launches. On Monday, its approach and splashdown were both overwhelmingly successful:
Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting eleventh flight test of Starship! pic.twitter.com/llcIvNZFfg
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2025
The re-entry phase of this particular Starship launch aimed to gather data on the performance of the heatshield, SpaceX said. The heatshield was intentionally stressed to its limits to determine how much it could withstand without failing.
SpaceX will now turn its focus to the next vehicles, including V3, which is larger, more capable, and will help the company gather even more information about its launches into space:
SpaceX unveils Starship V3, the rocket built to finally reach MARS
The new design features Raptor 3 engines and massive grid fins
Musk says it’s leaner, meaner, and READY for Mars pic.twitter.com/Wj8fBuXPIa
— RT (@RT_com) October 14, 2025
CEO Elon Musk has said the third-generation Starship rocket will be built and tested by the end of the year.
Tesla has launched a new color at Gigafactory Berlin in Germany, home of the company’s “world-class paint shop,” as Elon Musk once called it.
Bringing a new color to Tesla’s Model Y, there are now five available colors for those who will receive a vehicle from Gigafactory Berlin, with four of them being colors offered in other markets.
However, there is now one distinct color that is only available in Germany: Marine Blue.
🚨 Tesla has launched “Marine Blue” in select European countries
It is the third shade of blue Giga Berlin produces. It costs $1,500 pic.twitter.com/pVDWdNeBSJ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 10, 2025
Priced at €1,300, Marine Blue will cost the same as both Diamond Black and Stealth Grey, while Quicksilver and Ultra Red are available for double the price.
It is the third shade of blue Tesla offers across its lineup, as Deep Metallic Blue and Glacier Blue are also offered, but in other markets.
Tesla has routinely flexed Giga Berlin for having the most advanced paint shop throughout its factories, and it has produced some interesting colors over the past few years, some of which were truly awesome.
Tesla Giga Berlin is getting a world-class paint shop, new color ‘layers’ to come
In 2020, Musk said, “Giga Berlin will have the world’s most advanced paint shop, with more layers of stunning colors that subtly change with curvature.”
He also detailed the company’s plans to upgrade the Fremont and Shanghai paint shops. Gigafactory Texas was not yet unveiled. Tesla has worked to improve those facilities, especially in Fremont.
It was able to roll out the new Diamond Black color earlier this year.
However, Giga Berlin seems to remain the standard in terms of paint for Tesla. It routinely offers new colors.
For example, back in 2022, Tesla rolled out its familiar Quicksilver color for the Model Y, while also introducing Midnight Cherry Red, a color close to burgundy. However, the company chose to discontinue the color after determining internally that customers no longer wanted to buy it.
Midnight Cherry Red was removed as an option earlier this year, likely to make way for the development of the new Marine Blue.
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