Missing Titanic Submarine: Is Elon Musk’s SpaceX Responsible for its Comms?

The billionaire entrepreneur has broken his silence.

The missing Titanic submarine search is ongoing, and there is no clear answer yet as to what caused the sub to lose contact with its support vessel, Polar Prince.

However, some people ask whether Elon Musk's SpaceX is responsible for the communications problem of the Titan submarine of OceanGate.

Is Elon Musk's SpaceX Responsible for Titanic Submarine's Comms?

Elon Musk
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Elon Musk attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Even the most outlandish theories can capture the public's imagination in a world where news spreads like wildfire. One such theory that recently took the internet by storm was the claim that Elon Musk's SpaceX was somehow responsible for the missing Titanic submarine's communication failure. However, this theory holds no water.

According to the Independent, some conspiracy theorists point out that the firm, which operates the submarine OceanGate Expeditions, previously mentioned SpaceX's revolutionary Starlink satellite internet service. In a tweet, OceanGate thanked Musk for the satellite internet service, enabling them to browse the web in the middle of the seas.

The rumor mill went into overdrive after some online enthusiasts speculated that SpaceX's Starlink could have disrupted the communication systems of the lost submarine. However, it is time to set the record straight. Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla Chief Executive Officer, has finally broken his silence amid the disappearance of the Titanic tourist sub.

Snopes shared an article on Twitter with the headline: "Was the Missing Titanic Submersible Using Satellites from Elon Musk's Company?" But the story notes that they "do not know how much Starlink is responsible for the loss of contact with the submersible, nor the reasons behind that loss of contact."

Musk responded to the tweet, saying, "You [cannot] even run a good psy op." A context written and rated by Twitter users explains that Starlink operates between the 10.7 and 12.7 Ghz bands. Since the submarine travels underwater, the satellite internet "cannot be used to communicate with the watercraft.

Furthermore, Mashable notes that the Titanic is so deep within the ocean that it is roughly 12,500 feet under the land. Vice notes that deep sea internet requires physical cables since even traditional WiFi signals cannot penetrate the water.

Snopes went on to clarify that they have already revised their post, addressing misleading claims that the submarine used the satellite internet. Instead, it now says that "it was unknown if, or to what extent, the submersible itself relied on Starlink.

Missing Titanic Submarine

Missing Titanic Submarine
US Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick speaks during a press conference about the search efforts for the submersible that went missing near the wreck of the Titanic, at Coast Guard Base in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 20, 2023. The Titan submersible with five people on board has "about 40 hours of breathable air" left, Frederick said Tuesday. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images

The US Navy and the Coast Guard continue the extensive search for the missing vessel, including five passengers, including the OceanGate Expeditions' big boss, Stockton Rush.

A British businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman Dawood are also onboard the tourist submarine, which dives into the Titanic wreck. A French maritime expert, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and British billionaire Hamish Harding are also reportedly missing.

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Elon Musk, Spacex
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