NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s recent decision to deny Ukraine access to Starlink internet services for a surprise attack on Russian forces in Crimea last September has ignited discussions within the Pentagon about the necessity of clarifying the use of products and services procured for military purposes, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall revealed on Monday.
Excerpts from a newly published biography of Musk by The Washington Post, released last week, shed light on Ukraine’s request for Starlink support in launching an offensive against Russian naval vessels stationed in the Crimean port of Sevastopol in September 2022. Musk declined the request, citing concerns that it could trigger a nuclear response from Russia. Crimea was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 and remains a disputed territory.
It is important to note that when Musk rejected Ukraine’s request, he was not operating under a military contract. Instead, he had been providing Starlink terminals to Ukraine free of charge in response to Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, in the ensuing months, the U.S. military officially contracted with Starlink for ongoing support. The specific terms and cost of this contract have not been disclosed due to operational security concerns.
Nevertheless, the U.S. military relies on SpaceX for more than just Ukraine-related support. The uncertainty stemming from Musk’s refusal, as well as the possibility of other commercial vendors declining to provide services during future conflicts, has prompted military space systems planners to reconsider the language used in future agreements, according to Kendall. Speaking during a roundtable with reporters at the Air Force Association convention in National Harbor, Maryland, Kendall stated, “If we’re going to rely on commercial architectures or commercial systems for operational use, then we have to have some assurances that they’re going to be available. We have to have that. Otherwise, they are a convenience and maybe an economy in peacetime, but they’re not something we can rely upon in wartime.”
SpaceX also holds a contract to assist the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command in developing a rocket ship designed to rapidly transport military cargo to conflict zones or disaster areas, potentially reducing reliance on slower aircraft or ships. While not explicitly naming SpaceX, Gen. Mike Minihan, head of Air Mobility Command, emphasized, “American industry has to be clear-eyed on the full spectrum of what it could be used for.”
As U.S. military investment in space has surged in recent years, concerns have emerged regarding indemnifying commercial vendors from liability in the event of launch failures and whether the U.S. military has an obligation to protect these firms’ assets, such as satellites or ground stations, when they provide military support during conflicts.
Prior to Musk’s refusal in the Ukraine situation, there had been limited focus on incorporating language that stipulates firms providing military support must agree to their services being employed in combat. Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics, commented, “We acquire technology, we acquire services, required platforms to serve the Air Force mission, or in this case, the Department of the Air Force. So that is an expectation, that it is going to be used for Air Force purposes, which will include, when necessary, being used to support combat operations.”
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
