Starlink would revolutionise search and rescue in SA, says NSRI

Starlink’s high-speed broadband satellite service could provide robust, fail-safe communication during natural disasters, mass rescue operations and search and rescue operations in SA.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson said, “We are keenly interested in the recent SA government meetings with Starlink, recognising the opportunities it presents for our service and our beneficiary community, which is 98% historically disadvantaged.”

Starlink — the world’s largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet — is the brainchild of entrepreneur Elon Musk and a subsidiary of US aerospace company SpaceX. 

“Starlink’s satellite internet service will revolutionise our ability to respond to emergencies, especially in remote and underserved areas. The real-time communication capabilities will enhance our rescue operations and, by extension, the safety of all South Africans engaging in water-based activities,” Robertson said.   

“Reliable, high-speed internet access can be a game-changer for our volunteers and the lives they work tirelessly to save.”

Starlink’s reach into rural parts of the country without conventional internet infrastructure would enable the organisation to deliver services there such as water safety and rescue education.

“Starlink’s technology will support our critical rescue operations and empower communities with access to educational, health, and economic resources that can uplift their quality of life. The connectivity it provides will bring enormous value to the entire country,” NSRI operations director Brett Ayres said. 

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