Summary:
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Leaders in Ukraine have said that Starlink is important because it makes it easier for units to talk to each other and for drone data to be shared.
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The Pentagon is talking to other satellite communications companies after hearing that SpaceX can’t afford to keep up Starlink terminals in Ukraine, which the country says are essential for military communications.
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SpaceX on Thursday requested that the Pentagon take over funding for the maintenance of Starlink terminals that it had earlier this year provided to Ukraine in a letter that was delivered to the Pentagon on September 8. A Pentagon official told reporters Friday that the organization was considering its options.
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On Friday, a California-based satellite communications business named Viasat announced that it is offering assistance to Ukraine and the surrounding area, including free public Wi-Fi for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia.
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On Friday afternoon, the Pentagon said it had received SpaceX’s letter about Starlink in Ukraine.
Leaders in Ukraine have said that Starlink is important because it makes it easier for units to talk to each other and for drone data to be shared.
The Pentagon is talking to other satellite communications companies after hearing that SpaceX can’t afford to keep up Starlink terminals in Ukraine, which the country says are essential for military communications.
SpaceX on Thursday requested that the Pentagon take over funding for the maintenance of Starlink terminals that it had earlier this year provided to Ukraine in a letter that was delivered to the Pentagon on September 8.
A Pentagon official told reporters Friday that the organization was considering its options.
When questioned about the report, Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, said, “There’s not just SpaceX; there are other businesses that we can certainly cooperate with when it comes to supplying Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield.” I won’t say just what they are or who we are speaking to at this time.
On Friday, a California-based satellite communications business named Viasat announced that it is offering assistance to Ukraine and the surrounding area, including free public Wi-Fi for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia.
In a statement to POLITICO, business spokesperson Daniel Bleier said, “We are actively working with customers and government partners to use our available capacity and terminals to provide more services in the nation quickly.”
Leaders in Ukraine have said that Starlink is important because it makes it easier for units to talk to each other and for drone data to be shared.
In a tweet, he said, “In addition to terminals, we need to build, launch, maintain, and restock satellites and ground stations, and pay telcos for access to the Internet through gateways.” We’ve also had to protect against increasingly complex cyberattacks and jamming. Every month, the burn approaches $20 million.
On Friday afternoon, the Pentagon said it had received SpaceX’s letter about Starlink in Ukraine. In a statement, Singh added, “We continue to communicate with SpaceX about this and other subjects.”
Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network
