A scorching potato: Elon Musk has been praised for supplying Ukraine with SpaceX Starlink terminals to assist in the warfare in opposition to Russia, however the world’s richest individual has warned that his firm cannot proceed its donations or fund the prevailing system indefinitely and is asking the Pentagon to start out paying for the service.
SpaceX has equipped round 25,000 Starlink satellites to Ukraine for the reason that warfare started. Musk says the donations have price the corporate $80 million and can exceed $100 million by the top of the yr.
Ukraine vice prime minister Mykhailo Federov has thanked Musk for the deliveries, which have allowed the nation’s navy and civilians to proceed speaking and accessing the web at the same time as Russia targets its comms infrastructure.
However it appears SpaceX’s generosity is not with out its limits. Based on a CNN report, SpaceX despatched a letter to the Pentagon final month warning that it may possibly now not proceed funding the Starlink service. It is estimated that prices might attain nearly $380 million over the subsequent 12 months, and it desires the US authorities to pay for added terminals and ongoing service prices.
CNN writes that included within the SpaceX paperwork delivered to the Pentagon was a request despatched to Musk from the Ukrainian navy’s commanding basic, Common Valerii Zaluzhniy, for nearly 8,000 extra terminals.
Musk appears to have confirmed the report’s accuracy in a number of posts in the present day. In reply to a tweet displaying an inventory of the most important US protection contractors, he wrote, “Unusual that nothing was leaked about our opponents in area launch & communications, Lockheed & Boeing, who recover from $60B …”
Unusual that nothing was leaked about our opponents in area launch & communications, Lockheed & Boeing, who recover from $60B …
Would not be shocked to search out this specific particular person working there when he retires from DoD. Corruption at its best.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Replying to a different tweet about how a lot SpaceX is spending to take care of Starlink in Ukraine, Musk wrote: “Along with terminals, we’ve to create, launch, keep & replenish satellites & floor stations & pay telcos for entry to Web through gateways. We have additionally needed to defend in opposition to cyberattacks & jamming, that are getting tougher. Burn is approaching ~$20M/month.”
Musk additionally echoed the letter’s assertion that SpaceX couldn’t fund the prevailing system whereas supplying Ukraine with extra terminals, which have information utilization 100x better than typical households.
Musk just lately incurred the wrath of Ukraine and far of the West for posting a peace plan that concerned the nation ceding territory to Russia and remaining impartial. Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, advised Musk he ought to “F**ok off.” When somebody prompt Starlink is seeking to finish assist over this remark, Musk stated, “We’re simply following his advice.”
We’re simply following his advice ?♂️
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022
Russia has beforehand threatened Musk over his assist of Ukraine and warned that the Starlink satellites may very well be focused, however a lot of the goodwill the billionaire earned from Ukraine was misplaced on account of his peace plan ballot.
It was just lately reported that Musk posted the ballot after a dialog with Vladimir Putin by which the Russian president warned he would use a nuclear weapon if Ukraine tried to retake Crimea. Musk denies this, claiming he final met with Putin 18 months in the past.