Newsletters
Elon Musk said Wednesday that any disruptions Ukraine has reported in using the Starshield satellite communications system are the responsibility of the US government, not his company, SpaceX.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” Musk said. He added that any limits on speed or usage “are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” a reference to President Donald Trump.
Separately on Wednesday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence said the country’s connection to SpaceX’s Starlink network had improved, but that the company was still enforcing a cap on how fast drones can travel while remaining connected to the service.
In his remarks, Musk drew a line between Starshield, which Ukraine depends on for battlefield communications, and Starlink, the parallel civilian satellite network that Ukraine also uses. Starlink is not permitted for offensive operations. Both systems were designed by SpaceX.
Starlink is a constellation of satellites that SpaceX built to provide internet access, and it became a widely used communications tool in Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Starshield is a government-oriented offering that SpaceX developed from the same technology.
The Ukrainian defence ministry told reporters that “SpaceX continues to maintain the 161 km/h limit.” It said the actual limits were “significantly lower” through much of the day.
As of Wednesday evening, however, the ministry said the quality of the connection had improved for speeds up to 160 km/h.
Musk’s comments place responsibility for usage restrictions on the US military and the president rather than on SpaceX.
The ministry’s statement, by contrast, attributed the drone speed limit to the company, saying SpaceX was the one maintaining it.
The statements did not address each other directly, and neither Musk nor the ministry said how the limits would change.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
