Since the start of the Russian war of aggression, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service has secured the Internet connection for the Ukrainian military and many civilians. How is the financing going?
Although tech billionaire Elon Musk has promised to continue financing satellite internet for Ukraine, the US Department of Defense is also negotiating a permanent solution with other providers. So far, Musk’s space company SpaceX has not been paid anything to operate the Starlink internet service in Ukraine, a Pentagon spokesman said.
The Department of Defense is in talks with SpaceX and other companies to see how best to deploy satellite internet there. At the same time, the spokesman cautioned that the Pentagon would be bound by standard procurement procedures before making a decision.
A few days after the start of the Russian war of aggression, SpaceX activated the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine at the end of February and delivered the necessary reception systems. The system establishes fast Internet connections via its own satellites. In areas where there is no longer access to mobile communications and the Internet due to destroyed infrastructure, it serves as an important means of communication for both civilians and the Ukrainian military.
Last week, Musk initially threatened to end Starlink’s funding for Ukraine. SpaceX “cannot pay for the existing system indefinitely AND send thousands more terminals” because that is “unreasonable”. At the weekend, in a U-turn, he promised further unlimited funding. According to information from the news channel CNN, SpaceX had already suggested to the Pentagon in September that it take over the financing of Starlink for Ukraine.
Source: Stern
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