Microsoft has announced a new collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink focused on expanding internet services globally—an arrangement that comes despite ongoing disagreements between Microsoft and the companies led by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Under the partnership, Microsoft is integrating Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite technology with on-the-ground initiatives, working alongside local organizations and partners. According to a Microsoft blog post, the company, Starlink, and an internet provider in Kenya are working to connect 450 community hubs in the country with internet access
This initiative further builds on Microsoft’s larger commitment, established in 2022, to reach more than 250 million people globally with internet connections by the close of 2025. To date, the company reports that it has extended coverage to over 299 million individuals.
The agreement also signals heightened demand for Starlink’s services. Its satellite business is already under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA, and plans for an initial public offering are reportedly under consideration this year.
Despite this new collaboration, Musk has frequently criticized Microsoft publicly. Early this month, the world’s richest person urged Microsoft to examine board member Reid Hoffman’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk is also engaged in ongoing litigation related to OpenAI, a company he helped establish in 2015 with several partners, including Hoffman. Musk has accused OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of straying from their founding principles and has demanded significant financial restitution, alleging wrongful profits gained through his early involvement.
