January 9, 2025 4:53 AM | 3 min read — Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 9, 2025 As per a recent report from Forbes, the death toll due to the fires has increased to five. Why It Matters: This is not the first time that Starlink has offered a helping hand in times of crisis. In October, SpaceX offered free Starlink service for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Hurricane Milton until the end of the year. Starlink and T-Mobile US Inc. then also activated their Direct-to-Cell coverage to provide emergency alerts for all phones and telecommunications carriers in areas affected by the hurricanes. The satellite internet segment of SpaceX achieved a breakeven cash flow in November 2023 and continues to be a money-making segment for SpaceX. Earlier this month, the company said that Starlink now has over 4.6 million customers in over 118 countries, territories, and other markets. “We are going to make some money on Starlink this year. But ultimately I think Starship (the company's new rocket under development) will be the thing that takes us over the top as one of the most valuable companies,” SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell said at a conference hosted by Baron Capital in November. However, Shotwell refused to divulge more of the private company’s financials. Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Read Next: