SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk is no longer pushing through with its request to the Pentagon to fund the ongoing use of Starlink internet terminals in Ukraine, according to TechCrunch.
This statement came from Twitter, following reports that the Pentagon was considering funding contracts for weapons and equipment for the Ukrainian military.
There were 25,300 terminals sent to Ukraine, of which 10,630 were paying for Starlink.
Starlink in Ukraine
According to Ukrainian officials, Starlink has become important to the war effort and has allowed troops and civilians to stay connected despite the widespread destruction. In July, a top Ukrainian military official sent a direct request to Musk for almost 8,000 additional terminals.
The operations of the donated Starlink terminals cost $80 million and will exceed $100 million by the end of 2022. SpaceX had already sent a message to the Pentagon that stated they can no longer donate terminals to Ukraine or fund the existing terminals.
According to Politico, US officials were considering funding the service via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. In addition, European Union foreign ministers also talked about this issue with Starlink.
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What Happens Now?
Starlink uses satellites to provide a global internet connection, but SpaceX's future in Ukraine is uncertain. The company is not abandoning the project, but it is facing a lot of financial issues. In the meantime, the existing terminal service will continue to operate.
Communications in Ukraine are unstable and are often cut because of the ongoing war. There are also a lot of obstacles facing the Ukrainian military, such as ammunition, fuel, and funding. Starlink has been used to coordinate army troops, and the media have used it to deliver information to the public.
Pentagon officials have repeatedly said that internet access is a necessity for troops to operate and that it is in the interest of national security to provide access during times of war. However, the US government is still struggling to find the right policy that would allow the Pentagon to fund the service. The situation is also complicated by the fact that Starlink covers the entire Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.
In the meantime, the Pentagon will likely request funding to continue the project, but it is still uncertain how the government will accept this request.
Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain: Starlink has brought a lot of attention to the issue of internet access during the war.
While SpaceX's future in space is often questioned, the company has demonstrated that it has been able to open up new opportunities for internet access, not just in the US but in other regions as well.
With Starlink, SpaceX has created a mini-network of satellites that provides unblockable access to the internet. While Starlink faces some financial challenges in the future, it remains a powerful force in the internet space and will continue to bring change to the industry.
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Written by April Fowell
