Elon Musk confirmed that he plans to bail out SpaceX's Starlink internet service in Ukraine if Pentagon does not shoulder the costs.
(Photo : Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)
This photograph taken on September 25, 2022, shows an antenna of the Starlink satellite-based broadband system donated by the US tech billionaire Elon Musk in Izyum, Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP)
In February, the independent space agency decided to donate around 20,000 Starlink WiFi terminals in the country to support it during the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
But SpaceX explained that it could no longer provide its Starlink internet service for free.
The Wired reported that a leaked letter confirmed SpaceX's plan.
Elon Musk Starlink Bail Out: Pentagon Assessing Alternatives?
According to The Wired's latest report, the leaked documents confirming SpaceX's plan to pull out its Starlink service in Ukraine were dated Sept. 8.
(Photo : Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp, speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club April 5, 2011 in Washington, DC. Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) and Tesla Motors, held the news conference to announce SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket.
The aerospace company reportedly asked Pentagon to pay for its Starlink terminals if the U.S. wants Ukraine to use it continuously.
Because of this, Pentagon has no choice but to look for broadband service alternatives. The Japan Times reported that U.S. Defense Department spokeswoman, Sabrina Singh, confirmed that other options are now being checked.
She explained that the U.S., Ukraine, and allies are all assessing more options with other communications companies.
But, the official clarified that they are still talking with SpaceX.
Will SpaceX Really Pull Out Starlink?
As of press time, SpaceX hasn't confirmed when it will pull out its Starlink service in Ukraine.
The space agency also hasn't intended to remove its internet service abruptly.
However, Pentagon still needs to pay for the remaining months of 2022.
Although SpaceX is not asking for the overall cost, the aerospace firm wants around $120 million before 2022 ends.
On the other hand, SpaceX said that the U.S. needs to shoulder $400 million for the next 12 months after 2022 if they want Starlink to stay in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Starlink's 2.4GHz spectrum access request was recently criticized by Globalstar.
Previously, the SpaceX Starlink Antarctica expansion began.
For more news updates about Starlink and other internet services, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by Griffin Davis
