Democratic senators request details about US-Starlink contract after Ukraine incident

Three Senate Democrats sent a request to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin seeking information about the government’s contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink service after he reportedly refused access to the service for a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s naval fleet.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to Austin on Friday asking for details on what the Defense Department has done to “prevent further dangerous meddling” by Musk with the service, which provides

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“The confusion over what actually happened during this Ukrainian attack — and Mr. Musk’s specific role — demands answers. SpaceX is a prime contractor and a critical industry partner for the DoD and the recipient of billions of dollars in taxpayer funding. It poses grave national security risks if DoD contractors are able to independently act to abrogate their provision of services,” the senators wrote. “We are deeply concerned with the ability and willingness of SpaceX to interrupt their service at Mr. Musk’s whim and for the purpose of handcuffing a sovereign country’s self defense, effectively defending Russian interests.”

The three senators seek answers as to any other incidents where services have been “unilaterally disabled or otherwise restricted or altered by the commercial provider due to nontechnical reasons,” along with questions about whether the Department of Defense prevents service providers from unilaterally impeding products. The group of Democrats is also asking if the Defense Department has a “strategy to develop redundant capabilities.”

The senators say they want answers to their questions by Oct. 31, due to the “serious implications to U.S. national security” the unanswered questions pose.

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In Walter Isaacson’s recent biography, Elon Musk, he claims that the billionaire had Starlink deactivated near Crimea in September 2022, after Musk spoke to a Russian official who warned an attack on the disputed territory could lead to nuclear war.

The Starlink is a satellite operated by SpaceX and provides internet service to more than 60 countries, most notably being by Ukraine in their war against Russia.