Earlier today, Tesla & SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted “Tesla is to protect life on Earth, SpaceX to extend life beyond.”
If this sounds familiar, that’s because you listened to my interview with him on my podcast a couple of weeks ago.
Elon spoke at length about the purposes of both of these companies and shared the importance of protecting life on Earth.
Tesla is to protect life on Earth,
SpaceX to extend life beyond.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 15, 2022
In our talk, Elon pointed out the importance of protecting the creatures on earth–and this includes us, humans, as well.
One of the common misconceptions about Elon Musk is that he wants to go to Mars and forget about Earth and its problems. This is not true.
Although he does want to take humanity to Mars, it’s not to escape problems on earth. It’s to solve another problem that many don’t think about. Preserving the light of consciousness.
What The Light Of Consciousness Means To Elon Musk.
I asked him what the light of consciousness meant to him. It can mean many things to different people. Elon told me:
“To the best about knowledge. the only conscious life that we’re aware of is on earth. Conscious in the sense of at least thinking that it has self-awareness. Like I mean, I think therefore I am or whatever you know Descartes.”
“We’ve never found microbial life in the rest of the solar system but it’s possible that we may find microbial life or something maybe even sea life under the ice of Europa. That’s an interesting open question mark, but at least thus far we’ve seen no signs of life whatsoever not even microbial outside of earth. And according to geological records as best as science can determine, Earth is about four and a half billion years old.”
“The universe is about 13.8 billion years old. This suggests that–it’s odd that there’s not–if the universe is this old, if the solar system is this old, it’s odd that only now very recently has life evolved that can talk and write and communicate ideas in a sophisticated way.”
Protecting Life On Earth
Elon also shared how resources should be used to solve problems on earth while also enabling humanity to become multi-planetary.
“I kind of think we’ve got a responsibility to protect the rest of the creatures on earth, too. I think we should do that and I think a reasonable thing would be like I said about a one percent of our resources and 99 for earth problems”
“But I think one percent for making life multi-planetary and ensuring the long-term survival of consciousness and life as we know it is is worth one percent of resources. That’s what I would propose to the people of Earth.”
“And then of course we still need to make sure things are good on earth. Of course, it’s not like ‘oh let’s abandon earth.’ Sometimes people are like, ‘are you just gonna let Earth go to hell?’ I’m like, ‘no we need to make everything we can to make Earth good.’”
“Tesla’s goal is to help ensure a good future for Earth and then SpaceX’s goal is to make life multi-planetary and ensure the long-term survival of consciousness.”
How Tesla Is Helping Earth
The average person may see Tesla as a luxury car company. In reality, it’s more than that. Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainability and is doing a pretty decent job of this already.
However, this doesn’t mean the work is over–far from it. Together, Tesla and EVs have saved at least 120,000 lives from pollution so far. At the very least.
You can read more about his and the study that led to those numbers here.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Elon Musk’s Starbase, Texas has been included in an $84.6 million coastal funding round announced by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham confirmed that 14 coastal counties will receive funding through the Coastal Management Program (CMP) Grant Cycle 31 and Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program Cycle 14. Among the Brownsville-area recipients listed was the City of Starbase, which is home to SpaceX’s Starship factory.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, ensuring our communities, wildlife, and their habitats are safe and thriving is of utmost importance. I am honored to bring this much-needed funding to our coastal communities for these beneficial projects,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a press release.
“By dedicating this crucial assistance to these impactful projects, the GLO is ensuring our Texas coast will continue to thrive and remain resilient for generations to come.”
The official Starbase account acknowledged the support in a post on X, writing: “Coastal resilience takes teamwork. We appreciate @TXGLO and Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for their continued support of beach restoration projects in Starbase.”
The funding will support a range of coastal initiatives, including beach nourishment, dune restoration, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.
CMP projects are backed by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, alongside local partner matches. CEPRA projects focus specifically on reducing coastal erosion and are funded through allocations from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax, and GOMESA.
Checks were presented in Corpus Christi and Brownsville to counties, municipalities, universities, and conservation groups. In addition to Starbase, Brownsville-area recipients included Cameron County, the City of South Padre Island, Willacy County, and the Willacy County Navigation District.
Elon Musk
SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
SpaceX is targeting peak download speeds of 150Mbps per user for its next-generation Direct-to-Cell Starlink service. The update was shared by SpaceX Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs Lead Udrivolf Pica during the International Telecommunication Union’s Space Connect conference.
“We are aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user,” Pica said during the conference. “So something incredible if you think about the link budgets from space to the mobile phone.”
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
Today, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, offered in partnership with T-Mobile under the T-Satellite brand, provides speeds of roughly 4Mbps per user. The service is designed primarily for texts, low-resolution video calls, and select apps in locations that traditionally have no cellular service.
By comparison, Ookla data shows median 5G download speeds of approximately 309Mbps for T-Mobile and 172Mbps for AT&T in the United States, as noted in a PCMag report. While 150Mbps would still trail the fastest terrestrial 5G networks, it would place satellite-to-phone broadband much closer to conventional carrier performance, even in remote areas.
Pica indicated that the upgraded system would support “video, voice, and data services, clearly,” moving beyond emergency connectivity and basic messaging use cases.
To reach that target, SpaceX plans to upgrade its existing Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellites and add significant new capacity. The company recently acquired access to radio spectrum from EchoStar, which Pica described as key to expanding throughput.
“More spectrum means a bigger pipeline, and this means that we can expand what we can do with partners. We can expand the quality of service. And again, we can do cellular broadband basically, cellular broadband use cases, like AI or daily connectivity needs,” he stated.
SpaceX has also requested regulatory approval to deploy 15,000 additional Direct-to-Cell satellites, beyond the roughly 650 currently supporting the system. The upgraded architecture is expected to begin rolling out in late 2027.
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