WWNC – According to a source, Elon Musk’s space exploration business SpaceX had requested funding from the Pentagon for Starlink terminals in Ukraine. Musk claimed Friday that SpaceX could not continue to pay the terminals “indefinitely.”
Even when communication infrastructure is damaged during the conflict with Russia, SpaceX’s supplied Starlink internet terminals have been essential in keeping Ukraine’s soldiers online.
The process has already cost SpaceX $80 million, according to a tweet from Musk last week, and will wind up costing more than $100 million.
The billionaire, who is also the CEO of Tesla, stated on Friday that SpaceX cannot deploy thousands more terminals with significant data demand and continue to pay the current system “indefinitely.”
It comes after a CNN story claiming that SpaceX informed the American government that it could no longer provide Starlink services in Ukraine. According to the allegation, which was based on documents seized from the Pentagon, SpaceX is requesting that the American government pay for the terminals instead.
According to the CNN article, the usage of Starlink by Ukraine might cost up to $400 million over the course of the following year, according to a letter from SpaceX to the Pentagon.
