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Electric vehicle billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service is out with another unique addition to its warranty coverage. Starlink is now warning users to be wary of dinosaurs damaging its equipment, advising users that should such damage occur, then they will not be covered under warranty protection. SpaceX ships out user terminals, commonly known as dishes, and routers to customers who have signed up for Starlink coverage in their areas, and its service has previously also stated in its warranty documents that disputes which might arise on Martian soil or on the way to the red planet will not be governable by laws applicable on Earth - a tongue in cheek reference to SpaceX's aim of establishing a human presence on Mars through its Starship next generation launch vehicle system.
Dinosaur Damage Not Covered By Starlink Warranty Warns SpaceX
Starlink's latest warning was spotted by a Reddit user who shared a partial image of a leaflet of Starlink's warranty coverage and other technical specifications. Since the user dish is intended to often be used in harsh environments that are prone to natural disasters, the document informs users that Starlink warranty coverage will not cover damage due to circumstances out of SpaceX's control - such as lightning strikes and floods. This list also adds that any damage from 'dinosaurs' is not included in the warranty coverage either.
As outlined by SpaceX and shared by Reddit user u/RenewAi, the user warranty agreement states that:
The warranty does not cover damage due to:
Lightning, electrical surges, fires, floods, hail, windstorms, earthquakes, meteors, solar storms, dinosaurs or other forces of nature.
A photo of the agreement, also shared by the Reddit user is shown below.
The excerpt from the warranty coverage document is similar to the terms and conditions that Starlink binds its users to once they sign up for the service and order a kit for themselves. Publicly available on the Starlink website, they casually inform users that any disputes that might stem from using Starlink during transit to Mars or on the Martian surface will not be governable by Earthly laws.
As the consumer service terms read:
9. GOVERNING LAW.
For Services provided to, on, or in orbit around the planet Earth or the Moon, these Terms and any disputes between us arising out of or related to these Terms, including disputes regarding arbitrability (“Disputes”) will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California in the United States. For Services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Accordingly, Disputes will be settled through self-governing principles, established in good faith, at the time of Martian settlement.
2021 had been a bumpy year for the Starlink user terminals, as the company not only struggled with production and delivery constraints due to a global semiconductor shortage but it also saw some of its user terminals unable to withstand the blistering heat during a heatwave that struck the Western regions of the United States.
The heatwave saw a mixed bag of performance from the Starlink terminals, as some failed to withstand temperatures touching 122°F while others survived just a couple of degrees less. In order to streamline production Starlink introduced a new user terminal in the latter half of last year, with a new design, and both terminals are specified by the service's website to have an operating temperature range at least as low as -22°F and as high as 122°F.
