Musk’s Starlink: why the new sovereign of low-earth orbit is bad news?

Source: The post is based on the article “Musk’s Starlink: why the new sovereign of low-earth orbit is bad news?”  published in The Hindu on 7th August 2023.

What is the News?

In January 2023, pictures of a Ukrainian drone with a modified Starlink satellite dish circulated on Russian Telegram channels. This raised concerns about using the dish for controlling the drone remotely and for military purposes.

Later, Starlink Elon Musk tweeted that Starlink will not be used for long-range drone strikes.

With this, the world was informed that Elon Musk billionaire had effectively changed the rules of engagement for the Russia-Ukraine war.

How does Starlink work?

Starlink is a satellite constellation that comprises thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit. SpaceX first began sending them into space in 2019 and currently, there are more than 3,000 of these satellites that send internet signals to designated ground receivers.

Unlike traditional internet providers, Starlink doesn’t require any ground infrastructure. One just needs to have a small satellite dish or a receiver device to access high-speed internet, much like satellite TV.

The company also has a mobile application for Android and iOS that uses augmented reality to help customers choose the ideal location and position for their receivers.

Hence, currently, Starlink service is the undisputed king of the section of space called low-earth orbit (LEO).

Starlink’s role in Russia-Ukraine war:

Starlink has emerged as a crucial communication tool for Ukraine’s armed forces because their own mediums of communication were compromised by Russian hackers.

Ukrainian soldiers are using Starlink internet to upload pictures of probable Russian targets. These images are subsequently evaluated by the commanders and they then decide whether to bomb the target and if so, from where.

Moreover, Starlink has made drone warfare much easier. A report has suggested that Ukraine used the internet service to successfully attack Sevastopol — the Crimean headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Why does China fear Starlink?

Starlink has been vital to Ukraine’s war effort. The system is also hard to jam. 

From the perspective of China, this not only puts its friend Russia at a disadvantage, it also raises concerns about Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims. If Taiwan were given access to Starlink, it would make a Chinese invasion that much more difficult.

Moreover, China is also fearful that the US, through Starlink, is covering up territory in low-Earth orbit. China, too, wants to be a power in this domain. 

What are the concerns raised by analysts?

Despite Starlink’s manifold advantages and uses for Ukraine, experts have cautioned against Elon Musk’s formidable dominance in the launch market and satellite-internet operations. 

They also point out that Elon Musk is an unaccountable single individual and has other business interests that might influence his decisions.

The obvious solution to this is that we need more LEO satellite constellations – government, private or some combination of the two – that provide Internet access.