Elon Musk slaps down ex-NASA astronaut Scott Kelly after he pleaded with him to ramp up Starlink over Ukraine
- Ex-NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has called on Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, to expand his Starlink internet service in Ukraine
- Kelly made the plea on Twitter, urging Musk to help Ukraine defend itself from a potential genocidal invasion, after SpaceX limited military access to Starlink
- Musk defended the decision, saying SpaceX would not contribute to escalating the conflict, which could lead to World War III
Last week, Gwynne Shotwell, the President of SpaceX, announced the company was limiting Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military purposes, explaining the high-speed broadband was not designed for offensive or military operations.
Shotwell stated the service could be used for typical communications and humanitarian efforts, such as connecting families and hospitals.
The service had enabled Ukrainians to benefit from uninterrupted, independent and secure internet access, while Russia had destroyed the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, but Starlink satellites also became the only means of communication for the Ukrainian armed forces on the frontlines.
In particular, Starlink satellites have helped Ukrainian military drones carrying anti-tank grenades destroy Russian tanks and army trucks.
‘Over 100 cruise missiles attacked energy and communications infrastructure,’ Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, said last October.
‘But with Starlink we quickly restored the connection in critical areas. Starlink continues to be an essential part of critical infrastructure.’
One month earlier, in September, Musk also tweeted that Starlink was meant for peaceful use only and the terms of use specify that the internet connections were not to be used for military activities.
Last September, Musk also tweeted that Starlink was meant for peaceful uses only
Last month, Musk explained that he was restricting Starlink’s use on Ukrainian drones.
In fact, Starlink’s terms of service document clearly states, ‘Starlink is not designed or intended for use with or in offensive or defensive weaponry or other comparable end-uses.’
Musk has now placed a limit on the use of Starlink antennas by the Ukrainian armed forces with SpaceX taking steps to ensure that Starlink antennas are not used to run Ukrainian drones.
‘A year of resistance & companies have to decide: either they are on the side of & the right to freedom, and don’t seek ways to do harm.
‘Or they are on RF’s side & its ‘right’ to kill & seize territories. #SpaceX (Starlink) & Mrs. #Shotwell should choose a specific option,’ Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted at Shotwell on February 9.
But Musk’s position appears clear and firm for now, with SpaceX keeping in place restrictions to prevent the Ukrainian military’s use of Starlink for controlling drones used in the conflict nearing its one year anniversary.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukraine’s president, Volodym
