What Is Starshield, SpaceX’s Military-Grade Satellite Internet Service Ukraine Relies On?
New York Times · LC · trust 46/100
For years, Ukraine’s armed forces have relied on satellite communication services developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Recent restrictions have hampered its war effort.
Listen · 5:52 min Share full article 5 A Starlink dish camouflaged near the Eastern frontline in the Donetsk region of Ukraine in the summer of 2023. Credit... Sasha Maslov for The New York Times By Ryan Mac
For years, Ukraine’s armed forces have relied on SpaceX’s Starlink, which provides internet connectivity from satellites in lower earth orbit, and more recently its military-grade sister service, Starshield . Ukraine said on Tuesday that some military operations had been jeopardized, and specifically cited restrictions on Starshield.
“Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions, and this led to the failure of a number of missions,” Serhiy Beskrestnov, who advises President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on weapons technologies, wrote on social media .
Mr. Beskrestnov said that the restrictions, which applied to devices traveling over 100 miles per hour and using Starshield, was related to “the current political situation.” Devices that broadcast satellite internet to users, which SpaceX calls “terminals,” can be placed on vehicles or drones to help guide them when traveling at high speeds.
The Trump administration has been pressuring Ukraine to limit its strikes on Russia , pushing Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries so more diesel can be pumped onto global markets. High fuel prices have stoked inflation and dented the prospects of Mr. Trump’s Republican Party ahead of midterm elections next month.
Officials from Ukraine’s defense ministry placed the blamed on SpaceX, saying it had unilaterally restricted the operation of Starshield terminals. They said the restriction complicates the operation of drone missions and reduces capabilities for frontline logistics, reconnaissance and relaying signals.
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