U.S. Senators Demand An Explanation From Musk

Regarding restrictions on Starlink and Starshield operations in Ukraine.

Four U.S. senators have demanded that SpaceX to explain the operational restrictions on the Starlink and Starshield satellite systems used by the Ukrainian military. This is stated in letter from Senators Jean Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Chris Coons, published on Monday, October 19, on the website of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

In the letter addressed to SpaceX’s Vice President of Legal Affairs Christopher Cardachi, the senators ask for clarification on whether the company may have been involved in restricting Ukraine’s access to Starshield, and what its role is in ensuring the uninterrupted operation of Starlink in the country.

Lawmakers noted that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had previously stated that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, and that any restrictions on speed or usage are determined by the U.S. military and, ultimately, the U.S. President.

“At the same time, SpaceX owns and operates the underlying Starlink network and infrastructure, upon which certain Starshield services are based. These circumstances raise important questions regarding the respective technical, contractual, and operational authorities held by SpaceX and the U.S. government, as well as SpaceX’s ability to restrict access to Starshield or Starlink services during military operations or national security emergencies,” the senators noted.

On the morning of October 14, it became known that Starlink’s speed had been throttled, disrupting some important military missions. This refers to the Starshield package used by the Ukrainian military.

Military officials and experts reported communication disruptions and a possible impact on the operation of interceptor drones. Later, an NV source in the Ministry of Defense confirmed that communication is restricted at speeds exceeding 160 km/h.

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