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Is Starlink satellite threat to humans? Elon Musk SpaceX breaks silence

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Tech billionaire and CEO Tesla Elon Musk’s company rejected a report by the Federal Aviation Administration highlighting dangers posed by the Starlink satellite constellation to humans on Earth, calling it “inaccurate” while urging the regulators to “improvise”.

Elon Musk’s company said in a letter Tuesday that the report relied “on a deeply flawed analysis that falsely characterises reentry disposal risks associated with Starlink.”

The letter read: “To be clear, SpaceX’s satellites are designed and built to fully demise during atmospheric reentry during disposal at end of life, and they do so.”

The Aerospace Corporation — the non-profit group that contributed to the report — was also accused of not accounting for the analysis of SpaceX pertaining to the satellite disposal.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying Nasas SpaceX Crew-7 mission lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on August 26, 2023, in Florida. — AFP
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on August 26, 2023, in Florida. — AFP

The report was submitted to the members of Congress on October 5 by the FAA, painting a bleak picture of the dangers posed by the constellation of Musk’s Starlink satellite. 

It suggested: “By 2035 if the expected large constellation growth is realised and debris from Starlink satellites survive reentry … one person on the planet would be expected to be injured or killed every two years.”

According to the report’s estimation, the probability of an aircraft suffering an accident with falling space debris could be 0.0007 per year by 2035.

SpaceX explained in its report that 325 satellites were deorbited since February 2020, and no debris has been found.

This picture taken on August 26, 2023 shows a Crew-7 mission launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the companys Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. —
This picture taken on August 26, 2023 shows a Crew-7 mission launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. — 

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the Aerospace Corporation said, “Our technical team is in communication with SpaceX and others to review and update the data.”

“It was approached by the FAA more than two years ago to do an independent assessment of collective risks associated with satellite re-entry, based upon the projection of all planned operators under US regulation in 2021,” it stated in a statement.

“The data included existing and planned constellations through 2035. The greatest percentage of satellites were those in Low Earth Orbit.”

Starlink risks

It was acknowledged by the FAA that Starlink satellites fully burn up in the atmosphere when they fall back to Earth at the end of service, posing no risk.

However, the Aerospace Corporation noted that “with the thousands of satellites expected to reenter, even a small amount of debris can impose a significant risk over time.”

This long-exposure image shows a trail of a group of SpaceXs Starlink satellites passing over Uruguay as seen from the countryside some 185 km north of Montevideo near Capilla del Sauce, Florida Department, on February 7, 2021. — AFP
This long-exposure image shows a trail of a group of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites passing over Uruguay as seen from the countryside some 185 km north of Montevideo near Capilla del Sauce, Florida Department, on February 7, 2021. — AFP

SpaceX while rejecting the report regarded the assessment based on “egregious errors, omissions and incorrect assumptions.”

SpaceX also criticised the report for focusing “only on Starlink, disregarding other satellite systems like Amazon’s Project Kuiper, OneWeb, or any of the LEO systems being developed and deployed by China.”

The report noted that by 2035, Elon Musk’s satellites will account for “85% of the expected risk to people on the ground and aviation.”

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Pakistan declares AI chatbots to be dangers to security.

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The National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has released a security advisory concerning the increasing utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, emphasizing potential hazards related to the exposing of private data.

The recommendation recognizes that AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, have gained significant popularity for personal and professional duties owing to their capacity to improve productivity and engagement. Nonetheless, the CERT cautions that these AI systems frequently retain sensitive information, so posing a danger of data breaches.

Engagements with AI chatbots may encompass sensitive information, such as corporate strategy, personal dialogues, or confidential correspondence, which could be compromised if inadequately safeguarded. The warning emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive cybersecurity framework to alleviate concerns associated with AI chatbot utilization.

Users are advised against inputting critical information into AI chatbots and are encouraged to deactivate any chat-saving functionalities to mitigate the danger of unwanted data access. The CERT additionally advises performing routine system security checks and employing monitoring tools to identify any anomalous behavior from AI chatbots.

Organizations are urged to adopt rigorous security protocols to safeguard against possible data breaches resulting from AI-driven interactions.

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Unlawful VPNs: Terrorists Utilize Unregistered VPNs to Disseminate Propaganda

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Terrorists utilize illicit VPNs to disseminate propaganda and misinformation while concealing their identities.

Several accounts have been uncovered and are under investigation.

The cessation of non-registered VPNs is crucial for the nation’s economy.

The PTA is blocking illegal URLs and websites disseminating objectionable material upon verification.

Forensic investigations of websites have yielded startling results.

Disseminating erroneous information is more facile using unregistered VPNs.

Terrorists were exploiting these unverified VPNs.

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Air University Holds A Revolutionary Event For Students Focusing On Cybersecurity

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Air Marshal (R) Asad Lodhi has praised the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, an initiative by the Air University and Higher Education Commission that aims to train future cyber security experts and pioneers. At the opening ceremony of the two-day Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, which took place at Air University in Islamabad, he was the chief guest.
Showdown challenges, the Ideas Cup, and the Pakistan Crypt Challenge are all part of the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, which lasts for two days.

Air Marshal (R) Abdul Moeed Khan, VC of Air University, made a speech praising the cyber security abilities of Pakistani youth, saying that they are among the best in the world and will help the country face cyber threats. A haven for cyber security excellence, he said, Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge 2024. Additionally, he praised the Air University for its innovative and outstanding work in this area.
At the inaugural ceremony of the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, Dr. Zia Ul Qayyum, executive director of the Higher Education Commission, also spoke to the crowd. He discussed how HEC has created a welcoming atmosphere and helped facilitate projects such as the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge.
As part of the inauguration event, an MoU was also signed. Guests and participants were given souvenirs as the opening ceremony came to a close.

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