SpaceX to provide Ukraine access to Starlink Starshield
The Pentagon sent SpaceX a contract to expand its Starlink Starshield internet services in Ukraine. Under the Pentagon’s new contract with SpaceX, Starlink will provide connection through its Starshield internet services. SpaceX launched Starlink Starshield in 2022 to support national security. “While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on three areas: Earth Observation, Communications, and Hosted Payloads,” noted SpaceX at the time. Under the Pentagon’s new contract, Starlink’s 2,500 terminals already functioning in Ukraine will gain access to Startshield. An additional 500 Starlink terminals were sent to Ukraine, already connected to Starshield. The militarized version of Starlink reportedly offers a classified and encrypted signal, making it difficult to...