SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has faced criticism from former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly over his decision to restrict Ukraine’s military access to the company’s high-speed broadband system, Starlink.
Kelly took to Twitter on Saturday, calling on Musk to support Ukraine and provide aid to the country’s armed forces, who are currently defending against a genocidal invasion. In response, Musk defended his stance, stating that while Starlink is a crucial source of communication for Ukraine, especially at the frontlines where almost all other internet connections have been lost, he will not contribute to the escalation of conflict that could lead to a third world war.
SpaceX’s President, Gwynne Shotwell, announced last week that the company was limiting Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military purposes, as the broadband service was not designed for offensive or military operations. Shotwell emphasized that the service could still be used for typical communications and humanitarian efforts such as connecting families and hospitals. Despite the Russian destruction of Ukraine’s telecommunications infrastructure, Starlink satellites have become the primary means of communication for the Ukrainian armed forces on the frontlines, helping Ukrainian military drones successfully destroy Russian tanks and army trucks.
