By Katabella Roberts
SpaceX founder Elon Musk has defended his firm’s resolution to restrict Ukraine’s use of the corporate’s Starlink satellite tv for pc web service for navy functions, noting that the spacecraft producer and communications firm won’t actively allow an escalation within the ongoing Russia-Ukraine battle.
Musk was responding to former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who referred to as on the Tesla CEO on Feb. 11 to “restore the complete performance” of Starlink satellites, including that Ukraine “desperately wants your continued help.”
“Protection from a genocidal invasion just isn’t an offensive functionality. It’s survival. Harmless lives can be misplaced. You may assist. Thanks,” Kelly wrote on Twitter.
Nonetheless, Musk replied that the Starlink satellite tv for pc communication community is taking part in a key position in guaranteeing communication in Ukraine however shouldn’t be used for escalation that would result in a World Conflict.
“You’re good sufficient to not swallow media and different propaganda bs,” Musk responded. “Starlink is the communication spine of Ukraine, particularly on the entrance traces, the place nearly all different Web connectivity has been destroyed. However we won’t allow escalation of battle which will result in WW3.”
Musk’s response comes after SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell stated on Feb. 9 that the corporate was limiting Ukraine’s navy from utilizing Starlink to regulate drones within the area for navy functions in opposition to Russia.
Shotwell, SpaceX’s chief working officer, stated throughout a convention in Washington that the corporate’s Starlink satellite tv for pc web service was “by no means meant to be weaponized,” however that “Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways in which had been unintentional and never a part of any settlement.”
Shotwell referenced stories that Ukraine’s navy had used the Starlink service to regulate drones and famous that Ukraine’s settlement with SpaceX was meant for humanitarian functions resembling offering broadband web to civilians effectively as hospitals and banks after Russian compelled destroyed a lot of the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure.
“There are issues that we will do to restrict their skill to do this,” she stated, referring to the stories. “There are issues that we will do, and have accomplished.”
“We all know the navy is utilizing them for comms, and that’s okay,” Shotwell added. “However our intent was by no means to have them use it for offensive functions.”
Ukraine Hits Out at SpaceX
Following Shotwell’s announcement, Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on Twitter that SpaceX, in addition to different corporations, must determine whether or not it’s “on the facet of Ukraine and the fitting to freedom” or on “Russia’s facet & its ‘proper’ to kill & seize territories.”
“SpaceX (Starlink) and Mrs. Shotwell ought to select a selected possibility,” Podolyak added.
Musk’s SpaceX has been offering web to Ukraine freed from cost by Starlink’s satellite tv for pc web service for the reason that early days of the invasion however has harassed that it’s designed for peaceable makes use of solely.
Regardless of Shotwell’s current announcement, some Ukrainian troopers advised The Washington Submit that the service is working largely as regular for front-line communications however there have been some stories of points with terminals connected to strike drones.
“We’ve had no points thus far, thank God,” Lt. Oleksandr Matviyenko, the commander of a drone-reconnaissance unit working round Bakhmut, advised the publication.
The Epoch Occasions has contacted SpaceX for remark.
Reuters contributed to this report.
