Three Democratic Senators have requested details from the Pentagon concerning the involvement of SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk, in potentially disrupting Starlink satellite communications used by the Ukrainian military in 2022.
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Elizabeth Warren, and Tammy Duckworth, all members of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, penned a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. They conveyed their concerns about Musk possibly intervening in a way that could jeopardize U.S.-Ukraine relations during a critical period.
The Senators’ inquiry was prompted by a recently published biography of Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson. The book alleges that Musk ordered a Starlink disconnection that impacted a Ukrainian operation against Russian vessels. Following the book’s publication, Musk claimed he had only denied a request to provide Starlink services in Crimea to avoid escalating war tensions. The author subsequently amended the book to align with Musk’s statement.
Musk’s stance on Ukraine seeking a “truce” with Russia has garnered criticism from Ukrainian officials and political analysts.
Walter Isaacson, during a CNBC interview, mentioned the development of a military version of Starlink, addressing some of Musk’s reservations about the satellite’s utilization in warfare contexts.
CNBC approached the U.S. Department of Defense with questions about SpaceX and its contracts, Musk’s personal interactions with Russian President Putin, and his views on the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Jeff Jurgensen, a department spokesperson, confirmed their contract with Starlink to support Ukraine but refrained from providing detailed responses to the other questions.
Earlier this week, Sen. Warren voiced her support for a Congressional investigation into Musk and SpaceX’s actions, emphasizing the importance of governmental control over foreign policy instead of individual billionaires.
In other news, SpaceX is awaiting approval from various federal agencies to conduct test flights for its Starship Super Heavy launch vehicle in Texas. A previous test resulted in an explosion, leading to an FAA investigation. The company’s long-term vision for Starship includes deploying next-gen Starlink satellites and facilitating moon and Mars missions.