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House China committee demands Elon Musk open SpaceX Starshield internet to U.S. troops in Taiwan (www.cnbc.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
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The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter on Saturday to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk demanding that U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan get access to SpaceX's Starshield, a satellite communication network designed specifically for the military.

The letter, obtained by CNBC and first reported by Forbes, claimed that by not making Starshield available to U.S. military forces in Taiwan, SpaceX could violate its Pentagon contract, which requires "global access" to Starshield technology.

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[–] 11 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

They do, it just not as fast or reliable. SpaceX put more into infrastructure whereas the Military just did bare minimum. Now that Starlink is so much better, it's cheaper and more efficient to rent from them than to continue building their own.

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  • [–] 28 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    You know what would be even cheaper? Seizing Starlink as a national security asset.

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  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    They'd have to seize spaceX too, which is the reason that starlink is viable in the first place due to reduced costs in launching satellites.

    And then if they do both, survive the brain drain while simultaneously surviving the onslaught of Republican attempts to defund it into oblivion, because that's what they do.

    Yeah. I don't like those chances, nor do I like Musk essentially having power over foreign relations. Kinda lose lose, which is why we're in this shitty holding pattern atm.

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  • [–] -1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Do you really want to give the government the power to do that, and then hand that power over to the military... I don't like Musk but I see so many worse scenarios with this being controlled by the military.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    I see so many worse scenarios with this being controlled by the military.

    Do you? Musk is already letting the Russian military use Starlink after refusing to let Ukraine us it in a major military operation.

    What would be worse than giving aid to Russia?

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/12/ukraine-accuses-russia-forces-using-elon-musk-starlink

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    This is crazy talk. Anybody can smuggle some terminals into their country. That doesn't mean they're being "helped". The US government would come down on SpaceX with unprecedented force if they violated sanctions like that

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    It's crazy talk? No. It's reality. Elon shut down Starlink for the Ukraine military with the excuse that they would have started World War 3. Meaning he has the power to shut down Starlink for the Russians as well.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    I'd love to better understand your position. it seems like you think that Starlink is aware of who is using a terminal. how can Starlink differentiate between a Ukrainian and Russian user in the same general area? should Starlink randomly turn off user terminals it suspects? what if it accidentally turns off a Ukrainian one? billing is obv not a good indicator

    I want to understand your thoughts a little more clearly on this

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The area is Russian-occupied. Just turn off Starlink to that area. It's not hard.

    Yes, that sucks for anyone stuck there. But this is war. You don't let the Russians have an advantage.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    I don't think that's where the problem I'm raising is. Think about an active confrontation area where both sides have Starlink. How do you tell which to turn off in this case? Ideally Ukraine would be using starshield and then Starlink can be turned off entirely

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)
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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    that doesn't seem to support your assertion. blocking terminals in a specific geographic location (crimea) doesn't explain how to tell apart two sides using terminals in the same geographic area

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Blocking terminals in the same geographic location- such as Russian-controlled territory? Something he isn't doing?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    On an active battlefront these territories aren't strictly defined or are changing quickly. With that methodology if Ukrainian advanced too quickly into what was previously Russian territory, bam - Starlink stops working. That seems undesirable

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Sorry... you're saying that SpaceX can't just turn access on and off whenever they feel like it? Like my ISP can if I don't pay my bill?

    Coordinating with the Ukrainian military would be enough to tell them what to turn on and off.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Starlink terminals in Ukraine didn't come from one source. some have been donated by orgs in the US and other countries, some the government, some SpaceX themselves. Ukraine almost certainly doesn't have full knowledge of all the Starlink terminals it possesses. This isn't an ideal environment

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    So you are again saying that Elon can't do what he already did- not allow access in certain locations.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    No. What I'm saying is that due to the fast-shifting geographic nature of a battlefront, and the lack of organization in where the user terminals have come from: (A) Starlink would have a hard time keeping up with a precise map (and would be prone to errors, and would need exact operational data) (B) Ukraine doesn't completely KNOW what terminals are theirs

    So a geographic location block would be a hindrance for Ukrainian troops when trying to advance, and potentially dangerous when Russians advance into Ukrainian territory. Boundaries would constantly need to be redrawn, requiring exact knowledge of what is happening. Which for obvious reasons should not be shared

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    A) The Ukrainian military says where the Russians are. Starlink access is turned off there.

    B) The Ukrainian military says where the Russians are. Starlink access is turned off there.

    Yet again, this is something Elon already did to the Ukrainians. So all you are doing is saying is that somehow it's impossible for Elon to stop Starlink from being used in a certain geographic area when, yet again, that already happened.

    Honestly, it sounds like you think somehow the Russian military is just superior somehow.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    I feel like you are fundamentally misunderstanding me. Battle lines are not static or cut and dry. Neither militaries KNOW exactly where the enemy is. It isn't that simple

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Again, weird, since Ukraine knew exactly where Russia was and exactly where they were when Elon didn't allow them to access Starlink.

    So, again, sounds to me like you're saying Russia has superior tech powers Ukraine does not.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    I have no clue how you're coming to that conclusion. Starlink blanket blocked access from Crimea. Regardless of whether that was right or wrong, this doesn't prove that Starlink knows where Russian and Ukrainian troops, can track the battle line, and precisely turn off access based on that geographic area

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Starlink blanket blocked access from Crimea.

    Oh, so they can cut off areas Russia controls. Such as... oh... I don't know... Crimea?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Look, I don't know if you're being intentionally obtuse here, but not all areas are black and white. There is ambiguity in the world, particularly in battlefields. This feels a bit like a bad faith argument

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    I'm not being obtuse at all.

    You have claimed this entire time that Elon Musk can somehow not shut down Starlink in areas where Russia already controls despite him doing exactly that thing. And no matter how many times I explain to you that he did exactly that thing including showing you a link where he did exactly that thing, you keep talking about battlefield movements and things like that when, again, we are talking about areas where Russia already controls, such as Crimea, where Elon did exactly that thing.

    So if anyone is being obtuse, it's the person who keeps denying that something that already happened is possible.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Man, wtf. If Starlink is shut down in areas Russia already controls (it largely is), then what is the problem???

    Starlink doesn't have fine control over what they can turn off, the world is separated into "cells". Starlink can't broadly turn off Starlink for ONLY Russians on the battle lines, it would affect Ukrainians too

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    The problem is it isn't. In fact, service was restored in Crimea.

    The problem is that it should be and it can be. And it isn't because Elon is helping Putin out. I'm not sure why you don't understand that.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    They didn't have it on in that area and refused to turn it on when asked. They didn't just shut down the sats.

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