Musk: Starshield systems are controlled by the US government, and the cut hitting Ukraine was not SpaceX's decision
Elon Musk has said that the military Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government, and that Donald Trump, not SpaceX, is behind a cut affecting Ukraine. Ordinary Starlink on drones is capped at about 160 km/h.
Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, has stated that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. According to him, the cut affecting Ukraine was decided by US President Donald Trump rather than by SpaceX. Starshield is the military version of the Starlink satellite communications service. The source text does not describe the details of the cut.
Why it matters for drones
The source notes that the ordinary Starlink used on drones is capped at about 160 km/h. That is too slow for some missions. Faster flight requires the military Starshield version.
The question of who decides on access to Starshield therefore bears directly on which drone missions Ukraine can carry out with satellite communications support. With his statement, Musk stresses that the decision rests with the US government and not with his company.
