In this illustrated photo taken on September 21, 2022 in Warsaw, Poland, the Starlink logo can be seen on a mobile device with a graphic illustration of Earth.
STR | Noor Photos | Getty Images
SpaceX’s effort to put an additional 22,488 satellites into low-Earth orbit has been met with formal objections by a Ukrainian-American nonprofit that said it was concerned about CEO Elon Musk’s “contacts with Russia and the Russian military.” “Concerned about allegations of use of its Starlink system in Ukraine.”
The Ukraine Congressional Commission of the United States (UCCA) also cited negative references in its petition to deny and motion to stay filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday. 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 shortly after Russian forces invaded the country in early 2022.
However, in September 2023, Ukrainian Americans rebuked SpaceX CEO after he foiled major attack on SpaceX. russian navy. Musk said at the time that he had told engineers not to turn on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network over Crimea to prevent Ukraine’s planned attack on the Black Sea Fleet in 2022.
“There is a need to determine whether Starlink has been used to aid foreign adversaries,” UCCA President Michael Sawkiw, Jr. told CNBC regarding the organization’s decision to file petitions and motions with the FCC this week. “If so, it would be inconsistent with Ukrainians. The national security interests of Americans or the nation as a whole.”
UCCA is not the only group concerned about Musk’s ties to the Kremlin.
wall street journal report Last October, Musk held a series of “secret conversations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Members of Congress and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson have called for an investigation into those contacts.
A month before the Wall Street Journal reported, newsweek There are also reports that Russia has installed Starlink terminals in its Iranian-designed “Shahed” drone for use in military attacks on Ukraine. Starlink has not commented on the matter, but earlier this year, in February, Musk said in a statement social media posts News reports about Starlink selling terminals to Russia are “absolutely false” and “to the best of our knowledge, there have been no direct or indirect sales of Starlink to Russia.”
Soky said his organization advocates for the approximately 2 million Ukrainian Americans living in the United States today, many of whom arrived after the war began in February 2022.
The Starlink satellites mentioned in the petition will allow the company to provide Internet services to more destinations around the world as part of its Gen2 NGSO satellite system.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Tim Hughes, senior vice president of global commercial and government affairs.
Potential conflicts of interest
If Sawkiw’s team is successful with the law, the FCC may have to put its approval of SpaceX on hold to allow time to conduct an environmental review and develop a plan to address any benefits arising from Musk’s new and upcoming new roles. conflict. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
DOGE is expected to serve as a federal advisory committee, influencing regulations, government spending and personnel. The group could recommend major changes to the FCC and influence regulation of SpaceX and other Musk-led companies.
“Musk’s conflicts range from financial to objectivity,” UCCA wrote in the petition. “His companies stand to benefit financially from receiving government contracts and actions taken by the federal government, including the FCC. Putting Musk in charge of DOGE is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse.”
The motion requires the FCC to consider Musk’s role in DOGE and determine how he will comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act before approving any further requests from SpaceX.
Regarding environmental concerns, Arthur Belendiuk, UCCA’s chief regulator, wrote in a filing with the FCC that the SpaceX launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas “It is a biologically diverse and important habitat for many species, including wildlife protected under the Endangered Species Act. There is a real risk of fire and debris being ejected onto adjacent environmentally protected land.”
Musk was criticized after reports that vibrations and noise from SpaceX launches destroyed nine nests of an endangered bird species in the area. wrote in X’s post In July, “To atone for this heinous crime, I will not eat omelets for a week.”
Instead of undoing the damage caused by the SpaceX launch, Behrendik wrote in the petition that Musk “responded to the legitimate concerns of local environmental groups with sarcasm and ridicule.”
In April, UCCA commented against SpaceX in a separate FCC lawsuit involving the company’s request to acquire additional spectrum for its Starlink network.
Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Kahl said at the time that the group’s comments were “procedurally inappropriate and substantively worthless” and that it actually wanted “the government to weaponize violations of the law” against Musk.
Now, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Kahl to lead the FCC in his second administration. Kahl’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Berendict told CNBC that his team is “not just focused on Musk or SpaceX.”
Belednyuk said the group took legal action to remove Sputnik Radio, which broadcasts Russian government propaganda, from American Public Radio and was “actively engaging with chip manufacturers whose sanctioned products were found in Russian weapons systems.” Have a discussion.”
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