SpaceX Doesn't Want Starlink To Use To Play Drones And Bomb Bombs In Ukrainian Wars

SpaceX limits Starlink's capabilities in Ukraine. (photo: dock. spacex)

JAKARTA - SpaceX has taken steps to prevent the Ukrainian military from using the Elon Musk company's Starlink satellite internet service to control drones in the region during the country's war with Russia. This was revealed by the president of SpaceX, on Wednesday, February 8.

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, which has provided the Ukrainian military broadband communications services in its defenses against the Russian military. "This was never meant to be a weapon," said Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, during a conference in Washington, DC, quoted by Reuters.

"However, Ukraine has taken advantage of it by accident and is not part of any deal," he said.

Speaking with reporters, Shotwell referred to reports that the Ukrainian military had used Starlink services to control drones.

Ukraine has used the drone effectively to spot enemy positions, targeted long-range shots and dropped bombs.

"There are things we can do to limit the ability they do," he said, referring to Starlink's use of drones. "There are things we can do, and it has been done."

But Shotwell declined to say what action SpaceX had taken.

According to him, using Starlink with drones exceeds the scope of SpaceX's agreement with the Ukrainian government. He added the contract was intended for humanitarian purposes such as providing broadband internet to hospitals, banks, and families affected by the Russian invasion.

"We know the military uses it for communications, and that's okay," he said. "But our intention is not to get them to use it for offensive purposes."

SpaceX has personally delivered a Starlink terminal truck cargo to Ukraine, allowing the country's military to communicate by connecting and connecting it with nearly 4,000 satellites SpaceX has launched into low-Earth orbit so far.

Pemerintah Amerika Serikat dan Prancis telah membayar pengiriman terminal Starlink lainnya yang difunded secara pribadi oleh SpaceX.

Russia has been trying to stop Starlink signals in the region, although SpaceX has responded by strengthening the service's software, said Elon Musk, the company's chief executive.

Asked if SpaceX had anticipated the use of Starlink for offensive purposes in Ukraine when it decided to send the terminal to the conflict zone, Shotwell said: "We don't think about it. I don't think about it. Our Starlink team may have done it, I don't." I don't know. But we learned fast enough."

Starlink experienced a service outage in Ukraine late last year, due to reasons SpaceX did not explain.

Asked if the blackout was linked to SpaceX's efforts to curb Starlink's offensive use, Shotwell said: "I don't want to answer because I'm not sure I know the answer."