The Starlink logo is seen on a mobile device with a vivid illustration of planet Earth in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland on September 21, 2022.
STR | Nurphoto | Getty Images
SpaceX’s effort to put 22,488 more satellites into low-Earth orbit is facing official opposition from a Ukrainian-American nonprofit, which says it is concerned about the CEO by Elon Musk “his connections to Russia and his alleged use of the Starlink system by Russian forces in Ukraine.”
In a motion to deny and stay filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, the United States Ukrainian Congressional Committee (UCCA) also gave negative reasons. environmental impact SpaceX’s launch in Texas and Musk’s potential conflicts of interest due to his work with the incoming Trump administration.
SpaceX’s Starlink system has been linked to Ukraine since then The terminal got there shortly after Russian troops invaded the neighboring country in early 2022. The following year, the Pentagon agreed to buy Starlink satellite internet terminal for use in Ukraine’s ongoing defense operations against Russia.
However, in September 2023, Ukrainian Americans have reprimanded the SpaceX CEO after it was reported that he prevented a major attack on SpaceX. Russian Navy. At the time, Musk said he told his engineers not to turn on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network over Crimea to prevent a planned Ukrainian attack on the Black Sea fleet in 2022.
UCCA President Michael Sawkiw, Jr., told CNBC about the group’s decision to file a petition and motion with the FCC this week: “It needs to be determined whether Starlink is being used to help criminals. foreign enemies or not”. “If anything, this is not in the national security interest of Ukrainian Americans or the country as a whole.”
UCCA is not the only group concerned about Musk’s ties to the Kremlin.
Wall Street Journal reported in October that Musk had engaged in a series of “secret conversations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Members of Congress and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called investigation to those contacts.
A month before the Journal’s story, News week and others reported that Russia installed Starlink terminals on Iranian-designed Shahed drones used in their military offensive in Ukraine. Starlink did not comment for this story, but earlier this year, in February, Musk did in a speech. social media posts that news reports that Starlink is selling terminals to Russia are “completely false” and that “to the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks are sold directly or indirectly to Russia.”
Sawkiw said his group supports causes that concern the roughly 2 million Ukrainian Americans living in the US today, many of whom arrived after the war began in February 2022.
The Starlink satellites mentioned in the petition would allow the company to provide Internet services to more destinations around the world as part of the Gen2 NGSO Satellite System.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Tim Hughes, senior vice president of global business and government affairs.
Potential conflicts of interest
If Sawkiw’s team is successful legally, the FCC may have to pause approval of SpaceX, take time to evaluate the environment, and come up with a plan to resolve any conflicts of interest that arise from Musk’s new role with his duties. upcoming job. Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE).
DOGE is expected to function as a federal advisory committee that influences regulations, government spending and personnel. The group has the potential to propose major changes at the FCC and impact oversight of SpaceX and other companies led by Musk.
“Musk’s conflicts run the gamut from finances to objectivity,” UCCA wrote in the petition. “His companies will benefit financially both from receiving government contracts and from actions by the federal government, including the FCC. Placing Musk at the head of DOGE equivalent to allowing a fox to guard the chicken coop.”
The proposal requires the FCC to determine how Musk will comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, based on his role with DOGE, before authorizing any further SpaceX requests.
Regarding environmental concerns, UCCA chief legal counsel Arthur Belendiuk wrote in a filing with the FCC that the SpaceX launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas is “an area of essential and biologically diverse habitat for many species, including wildlife protected under the Endangered Species Act.” References previous incidentHe added that, “Missile launches in this area create a real risk of fire and debris reaching adjacent environmentally protected lands.”
After reports that vibrations and noise from SpaceX launches led to the destruction of nine nests of an endangered bird species in the area, Musk wrote in a post on X in July, “To make up for this heinous crime, I will not eat omelettes for a week.”
Belendiuk wrote in the petition that instead of fixing the damage caused by SpaceX launches, Musk “responded to the legitimate concerns of local environmental groups with sarcasm and ridicule.”
UCCA issued comments in April against SpaceX in a separate FCC proceeding related to the company’s request for additional spectrum access for its Starlink network.
Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said at the time that the group’s comments were “procedurally improper and essentially worthless” and that they actually wanted “the government to violate the law by How to weaponize it” against Musk.
Now, President-elect Donald Trump Have nominate Carr led the FCC in his second administration. Carr’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Belendiuk told CNBC that his team is “not just focused on Musk or SpaceX.”
Beledniuk said the group has taken legal action to take Radio Sputnik, the Russian government propaganda outlet, off the public airwaves in the US and is “actively participating in discussions with relevant chip manufacturers.” Sanctioned products found in Russian weapons systems.”
CLOCK: DOGE cannot cut government spending without touching the defense budget
