What's All the Fuss About Starlink?

Global Militaries Worry Elon Musk Is Too Erratic To Manage Starlink Competently 

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the not-exactly-trustworthy dept

Wed, Aug 2nd 2023 05:24am - Karl Bode

While Elon Musk’s Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband technology is too expensive and capacity-constrained to seriously put a dent in US broadband problems, it’s helpful in low connectivity situations like disasters, select parts of rural America, or the war in Ukraine. But Musk’s growing power over the fledgling LEO satellite sector has started to worry global military leaders, according to the New York Times.

Especially after an incident last year where Musk restricted Ukraine’s access to the service near Crimea because he personally opposed Ukraine’s military aims:

In Ukraine, some fears have been realized. Mr. Musk has restricted Starlink access multiple times during the war, people familiar with the situation said. At one point, he denied the Ukrainian military’s request to turn on Starlink near Crimea, the Russian-controlled territory, affecting battlefield strategy. Last year, he publicly floated a “peace plan” for the war that seemed aligned with Russian interests.

Musk’s mythology is so outsized, even global military leaders are worried about expressing their concerns that his increasingly-erratic behavior (and ties to countries like China) could impact global connectivity and national security, lest they upset the petulant billionaire:

At least nine countries — including in Europe and the Middle East — have also brought up Starlink with American officials over the past 18 months, with some questioning Mr. Musk’s power over the technology, two U.S. intelligence officials briefed on the discussions said. Few nations will speak publicly about their concerns, for fear of alienating Mr. Musk, said intelligence and cybersecurity officials briefed on the conversations.

In short, imagine the kind of petty, incoherent, counterproductive bumbling that reflects Musk’s management of ex-Twitter, and apply it to a global communications resource increasingly being used for sensitive military endeavors, aid work, and disaster relief.

In some ways the New York Times oversells Starlink’s importance. While slowly growing, the network has unavoidably struggled with speed issues due to the nature of satellite physics. Like Tesla Solar, Starlink customer service is a mess that’s also struggled to scale. There’s that whole undermining scientific research through light pollution thing. It’s also not particularly profitable, relying on the heavy subsidization of Space X to function as a concept.

Personally intervening in military conflicts while spewing right wing tween 4chan memes on a social media platform you’ve made increasingly friendly to CSAM probably isn’t the best strategy to keep this particular gravy train afloat.

Like Tesla Motors, Starlink also has a growing parade of well-funded competitors (like Amazon) looking to enter the space. And all of their lobbyists are surely licking their chops at the idea of using Musk’s erratic behavior and (tendency for self-immolation) as a reason why global organizations and governments should consider switching to less…dramatic communications alternatives.

Filed Under: china, elon musk, leo satellite, military, national security, natsec, russia, starlink, telecom, ukraine war
Companies: spacex, starlink

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