‘The hell with it’: Elon Musk tweets SpaceX will ‘keep funding Ukraine govt for free’ amid Starlink controversy
PUBLISHED SAT, OCT 15 2022
Ashley Capoot@ASHLEYCAPOOT
KEY POINTS
Elon Musk said in a tweet Saturday that his company SpaceX would continue to fund Starlink satellite internet terminals for the Ukrainian government as it battles invading Russian forces.
The tweets follow a statement from Musk on Friday in which he said that SpaceX cannot continue fund Starlink terminals in Ukraine “indefinitely.”
A smartphone with the Starlink logo displayed on the screen.
Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Elon Musk said in a tweet Saturday that his company SpaceX would continue to fund Starlink satellite internet terminals for the Ukrainian government as it battles invading Russian forces.
“The hell with it,” the billionaire tweeted, “even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.”
It was not immediately clear whether Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, was being sarcastic. In response to a tweet about the move, Musk said, “we should still do good deeds.” Responding to another tweet saying that Musk had already paid taxes that are funding Ukraine’s defense, he said, “Fate loves irony.”
The tweets follow a statement from Musk on Friday in which he said that SpaceX cannot continue fund Starlink terminals in Ukraine “indefinitely,” after a report suggested his space company had asked the Pentagon to cover the costs.
Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a letter from SpaceX to the Pentagon, the company said that the use of Starlink in Ukraine could cost close to $400 million over the next 12 months, according to a report by CNN. SpaceX has signed several contracts with the U.S. government.
SpaceX’s donated Starlink internet terminals have been crucial in keeping Ukraine’s military online during the war against Russia, even as communication infrastructure gets destroyed. Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February.
Musk drew criticism from Ukrainian officials earlier this month when he posted a Twitter poll gauging support for what he claimed was a likely outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war.
He appeared to confirm that SpaceX was planning to leave Ukraine in some capacity Friday, replying to a Twitter post that referenced the Ukrainian ambassador telling Musk to “f--- off.”
“We’re just following his recommendation,” Musk said.
The SpaceX founder is also in the middle of a $44 billion bid to buy Twitter, which he had tried to get out of. A judge ruled that he has until Oct. 28 to close the acquisition if he hopes to avoid a trial.
OUTSOURCING LOWBALLS
SpaceX and US in talks, but Pentagon says it has "other" satellite options.
JON BRODKIN - 10/14/2022,
SpaceX has asked the Pentagon to fund the Ukraine government and military's use of Starlink broadband, saying the Elon Musk-led company can't afford to donate more user terminals or pay for operations indefinitely, CNN reported.
"We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time," SpaceX's director of government sales wrote to the Pentagon in a September letter, according to CNN. The letter "requested that the Pentagon take over funding for Ukraine's government and military use of Starlink, which SpaceX claims would cost more than $120 million for the rest of the year and could cost close to $400 million for the next 12 months."
Musk defended the request today. "SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely and send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable," he wrote on Twitter.
The CNN article said that "roughly 20,000 Starlink satellite units have been donated to Ukraine" and that the Ukraine military asked for 8,000 more in July.
Musk: Operation has cost SpaceX $80 million
SpaceX's Starlink division sent satellite terminals to Ukraine after Russia's invasion of the country disrupted broadband networks, and the Internet access has been useful in Ukraine's military operations against Russian forces. The US initially provided $3 million for the effort.
Musk wrote last week that "only a small percentage" of Starlink terminals and service were paid for by outside sources and that the "operation has cost SpaceX $80M & will exceed $100M by end of year."Advertisement
According to CNN's article, the SpaceX letter to the Pentagon said "about 85 percent of the 20,000 terminals in Ukraine were paid—or partially paid—for by countries like the US and Poland or other entities. Those entities also paid for about 30 percent of the Internet connectivity, which SpaceX says costs $4,500 each month per unit for the most advanced service."
The $4,500-per-month figure seems to refer to the typical fee for that tier of service, rather than to SpaceX's actual costs to provide it.
"SpaceX says it has paid for about 70 percent of the service provided to Ukraine and claims to have offered that highest level —$4,500 a month—to all terminals in Ukraine despite the majority only having signed on for the cheaper $500 per month service," CNN wrote. "The terminals themselves cost $1,500 and $2,500 for the two models sent to Ukraine, the documents say, while consumer models on Starlink's website are far cheaper and service in Ukraine is just $60 per month."
SpaceX request “rankled” Pentagon brass
The funding request seems to have triggered a conflict between SpaceX and the Pentagon. "SpaceX's request that the US military foot the bill has rankled top brass at the Pentagon, with one senior defense official telling CNN that SpaceX has 'the gall to look like heroes' while having others pay so much and now presenting them with a bill for tens of millions per month," CNN wrote.
The Pentagon took a more measured tone publicly. "I can confirm that the department has been in communication with SpaceX regarding Starlink," Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said, according to the Financial Times. "We're working with our partners and allies trying to figure out what's best.
"There are certainly other Satcom capabilities that exist out there,” she also said. "There's not just SpaceX, there are other entities that we can certainly partner with when it comes to providing Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield."
On October 3, after Musk wrote a controversial tweet proposing terms for a Ukraine-Russia peace, Ukrainian diplomat Andrij Melnyk told Musk to "fuck off." While SpaceX's letter to the Pentagon was sent months before that Twitter exchange, Musk today replied to a journalist who suggested the funding request and Melnyk's tweet to Musk were connected. "We're just following his recommendation," Musk wrote.
Melnyk's Twitter profile says he is Ukraine's ambassador to Germany. But he was fired from that post in July, "a week after the diplomat gave an interview in which he defended the legacy of a World War II nationalist leader who collaborated with the Nazis," The New York Times reported at the time.
Some Ukrainians pay for Starlink themselves
Amid the funding conflict, some Ukrainians tweeted about how they and Ukraine soldiers have been paying for Starlink service themselves.
"All the Starlinks I have seen/used were bought either by volunteers like myself, or soldiers put their personal money in. The subscription price is also paid out of the pocket. In my charity fund @dzygaspaw, I have bought and delivered to the frontlines over 50 Starlinks, some of them are still being paid from my credit card, now $60 each per month," Dimko Zhluktenko wrote.
CNN's article on the SpaceX letter to the Pentagon said there have been "wide-ranging Starlink outages as Ukrainian troops attempt to retake ground occupied by Russia in the eastern and southern parts of the country."
"That has affected every effort of the Ukrainians to push past that front," CNN quoted a source as saying. "Starlink is the main way units on the battlefield have to communicate."
Pentagon confirms US in talks with Musk’s company over funding Ukraine’s Starlink
Ellen Mitchell
Fri, October 14, 2022
The Pentagon on Friday confirmed that the Biden administration was in talks with SpaceX over who will foot the bill for the critical internet service in Ukraine provided by the company’s Starlink.
The director of government sales for SpaceX, owned by CEO Elon Musk, reportedly sent a letter to the Pentagon last month stating it could no longer fund Starlink in Ukraine as it is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars to keep it running for the next year, according to documents CNN said it obtained.
“I can confirm that the [Defense Department] has been in communication with SpaceX regarding Starlink,” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday. “I’m not going to get into further details of this discussion just now. … But we’re working with our partners and allies in trying to figure out what’s best.”
Pressed repeatedly as to when the Pentagon first began communications with SpaceX, which was involved and the nature of the talks, Singh would not offer details.
She added that officials “understand the fragility” of the Ukrainian communications system and are “assessing our options and trying to do what we can to help keep these … capabilities to ensure that these communications remain for the Ukrainian forces.”
“There are certainly other [satellite communication] capabilities that exist out there,” Singh said, when asked if there are any other commercially available alternatives to Starlink. “There’s not just SpaceX, there are other entities that we can certainly partner with when it comes to providing Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield.”
Starlink services in Ukraine are critical to the country in its ongoing war with Russia, and losing such a communications system is likely to have a detrimental effect on its armed forces. The Ukrainian military has credited the reliable, lightweight and mobile internet terminals as crucial to military and civilian communication.
Musk earlier on Friday seemed to confirm that SpaceX had reached out to the Pentagon regarding Starlink costs when he tweeted that his company must “create, launch, maintain & replenish satellites & ground stations & pay telcos for access to Internet via gateways,” as well as “defend against cyberattacks & jamming, which are getting harder.” He claimed that was costing the company about $20 million a month.
SpaceX’s communications with the Pentagon come as Musk, the world’s richest man, has faced intense scrutiny over his suggestions for a negotiated settlement to end the war. He proposed that Russia keep Crimea in such a settlement, an idea that was roundly rejected by Ukrainian leaders.
And though Musk initially received widespread acclaim for providing the Starlink service to Ukraine at the start of the war, it was revealed that most of the 20,000 terminals in the country are completely or partially funded by outside sources such as the U.S. government, the United Kingdom and Poland, CNN reported.
Ellen Mitchell
Fri, October 14, 2022
The Pentagon on Friday confirmed that the Biden administration was in talks with SpaceX over who will foot the bill for the critical internet service in Ukraine provided by the company’s Starlink.
The director of government sales for SpaceX, owned by CEO Elon Musk, reportedly sent a letter to the Pentagon last month stating it could no longer fund Starlink in Ukraine as it is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars to keep it running for the next year, according to documents CNN said it obtained.
“I can confirm that the [Defense Department] has been in communication with SpaceX regarding Starlink,” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday. “I’m not going to get into further details of this discussion just now. … But we’re working with our partners and allies in trying to figure out what’s best.”
Pressed repeatedly as to when the Pentagon first began communications with SpaceX, which was involved and the nature of the talks, Singh would not offer details.
She added that officials “understand the fragility” of the Ukrainian communications system and are “assessing our options and trying to do what we can to help keep these … capabilities to ensure that these communications remain for the Ukrainian forces.”
“There are certainly other [satellite communication] capabilities that exist out there,” Singh said, when asked if there are any other commercially available alternatives to Starlink. “There’s not just SpaceX, there are other entities that we can certainly partner with when it comes to providing Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield.”
Starlink services in Ukraine are critical to the country in its ongoing war with Russia, and losing such a communications system is likely to have a detrimental effect on its armed forces. The Ukrainian military has credited the reliable, lightweight and mobile internet terminals as crucial to military and civilian communication.
Musk earlier on Friday seemed to confirm that SpaceX had reached out to the Pentagon regarding Starlink costs when he tweeted that his company must “create, launch, maintain & replenish satellites & ground stations & pay telcos for access to Internet via gateways,” as well as “defend against cyberattacks & jamming, which are getting harder.” He claimed that was costing the company about $20 million a month.
SpaceX’s communications with the Pentagon come as Musk, the world’s richest man, has faced intense scrutiny over his suggestions for a negotiated settlement to end the war. He proposed that Russia keep Crimea in such a settlement, an idea that was roundly rejected by Ukrainian leaders.
And though Musk initially received widespread acclaim for providing the Starlink service to Ukraine at the start of the war, it was revealed that most of the 20,000 terminals in the country are completely or partially funded by outside sources such as the U.S. government, the United Kingdom and Poland, CNN reported.
Starlink Demonstrates the Need To Rein in Capital
angryea
Community
Elon is having himself a hissy fit
The genesis of Elon's little tantrum appears to be the Ukraine leadership did not appreciate him parroting Russian talking points about how the war should end. Ostensibly, this is about not being paid. But, well, that turns out to not be entirely believable:
In other, surely unrelated news, it came out yesterday that Elon is being investigated by the SEC over his antics around his on-again off-again purchase of Twitter. I am certain the famously thin-skinned Elon would not be pulling his support for a critical piece of wartime infrastructure as a way to get the SEC to back off its investigation?
People like Musk clearly have too much power in our system. If you disagree with the policy of supporting the Ukraine, you are allowed to argue against it, to protest, to vote Republican, etc. You should not be allowed, as one person, to rip away a vital piece of national security technology on a whim, or as a chit or get out of jail free card.
And I don't want to hear anything about how the government is taking his property. They are already paying for the service, and the invented most of the core technology that he is using to run those satellite. Nor do I want to hear about the sanctity of property. No right is completely absolute. No one is forcing Elon to march to the front, no one is moving soldiers into his home. They are paying for use of a small portion of his network to advance national security goals (and, incidentally, defend a largely democratic state against a quasi-genocidal invasion. That bears some mention here). Nor do I want to hear that the government should build a system itself. In our system, core infrastructure at every level, for good and ill, is built by allowing private people to profit from their construction and maintenance. It's not the system I would want, but it's the system we have. We cannot then turn around and allow those people to harm the overall society via their control.
Being part of a democratic society means you have obligations as well as responsibilities. Musk benefits from the basic research the government provides to make himself rich, builds his businesses under the protection of the rule of law and military might provided by his fellow citizens, and has received untold monies in subsidies and tax breaks to keep his businesses afloat. People who have been allowed to profit building critical infrastructure should not be allowed to use that infrastructure for their own personal whims.
angryea
Community
(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)
Friday October 14, 2022 ·
Friday October 14, 2022 ·
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| FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY UNDER; HUBRIS |
Elon is having himself a hissy fit
The genesis of Elon's little tantrum appears to be the Ukraine leadership did not appreciate him parroting Russian talking points about how the war should end. Ostensibly, this is about not being paid. But, well, that turns out to not be entirely believable:
Though Musk has received widespread acclaim and thanks for responding to requests for Starlink service to Ukraine right as the war was starting, in reality, the vast majority of the 20,000 terminals have received full or partial funding from outside sources, including the US government, the UK and Poland, according to the SpaceX letter to the Pentagon.
SpaceX’s request that the US military foot the bill has rankled top brass at the Pentagon, with one senior defense official telling CNN that SpaceX has “the gall to look like heroes” while having others pay so much and now presenting them with a bill for tens of millions per month.Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Politics
SpaceX’s request that the US military foot the bill has rankled top brass at the Pentagon, with one senior defense official telling CNN that SpaceX has “the gall to look like heroes” while having others pay so much and now presenting them with a bill for tens of millions per month.Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Politics
In other, surely unrelated news, it came out yesterday that Elon is being investigated by the SEC over his antics around his on-again off-again purchase of Twitter. I am certain the famously thin-skinned Elon would not be pulling his support for a critical piece of wartime infrastructure as a way to get the SEC to back off its investigation?
People like Musk clearly have too much power in our system. If you disagree with the policy of supporting the Ukraine, you are allowed to argue against it, to protest, to vote Republican, etc. You should not be allowed, as one person, to rip away a vital piece of national security technology on a whim, or as a chit or get out of jail free card.
And I don't want to hear anything about how the government is taking his property. They are already paying for the service, and the invented most of the core technology that he is using to run those satellite. Nor do I want to hear about the sanctity of property. No right is completely absolute. No one is forcing Elon to march to the front, no one is moving soldiers into his home. They are paying for use of a small portion of his network to advance national security goals (and, incidentally, defend a largely democratic state against a quasi-genocidal invasion. That bears some mention here). Nor do I want to hear that the government should build a system itself. In our system, core infrastructure at every level, for good and ill, is built by allowing private people to profit from their construction and maintenance. It's not the system I would want, but it's the system we have. We cannot then turn around and allow those people to harm the overall society via their control.
Being part of a democratic society means you have obligations as well as responsibilities. Musk benefits from the basic research the government provides to make himself rich, builds his businesses under the protection of the rule of law and military might provided by his fellow citizens, and has received untold monies in subsidies and tax breaks to keep his businesses afloat. People who have been allowed to profit building critical infrastructure should not be allowed to use that infrastructure for their own personal whims.
Elon Musk balks at funding Ukraine’s Starlink satellites, as envoy tells him to ‘fuck off’
Company asks US military to cough up for the critical satellite system.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said, “We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine" | Carina Johansen/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
BY WILHELMINE PREUSSEN
OCTOBER 14, 2022
Elon Musk said on Friday he's "just following the recommendation" of a Ukrainian diplomat who told the SpaceX founder to "fuck off," by seeking to offload responsibility for funding his Starlink internet terminals in Ukraine.
Musk's trolling came after Ukraine’s former Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk and the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted with hostility to Musk last week tweeting a series of Kremlin talking points, which he presented as a plan for peace in Russia's war on Ukraine. This raised concerns in Kyiv and among its allies as to whether Musk was still on Ukraine's side in the war.
Musk's tweet came in response to a CNN report that SpaceX had warned in a letter, dated September 8 and sent to the U.S. Department of Defense, that it can no longer afford to provide its Starlink terminals, which are crucial for Ukraine's military communication.
“We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time,” SpaceX said in the letter, which was signed by the company's director of government sales, adding that the Pentagon should take over the funding.
The Starlink satellite communication system has been crucial not only for Ukraine's military communication, but also for the government to maintain contact with commanders, for Zelenskyy to conduct interviews with journalists, and for civilian communications, connecting loved ones via the encrypted satellites.
Funding the systems would cost more than $120 million for the rest of the year and the price tag could reach almost $400 million for the next 12 months, according to SpaceX.
Ukraine has received around 20,000 Starlink satellite units. Musk said last week that the “operation has cost SpaceX $80 million and will exceed $100 million by the end of the year.”
Musk was initially lauded for providing the Starlink terminals to Ukraine, but according to the SpaceX letter, the vast majority were partially or fully funded by other parties, including the U.S. government, the U.K. and Poland. Poland is the largest single contributor and has paid for almost 9,000 terminals, which cost $1,500 and $2,500 for the two models sent to Ukraine, according to the documents.
Those governments also paid for a third of the internet connectivity while SpaceX funded the rest, making up the more expensive part of the bill, according to SpaceX.
Among the documents seen by CNN is also a request from Ukrainian General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi to SpaceX for almost 8,000 more Starlink terminals. SpaceX reportedly responded by recommending the request be sent to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The spat comes shortly after recent reports of Starlink outages, which have disrupted crucial Ukrainian military communication on the front lines.
Company asks US military to cough up for the critical satellite system.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said, “We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine" | Carina Johansen/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
BY WILHELMINE PREUSSEN
OCTOBER 14, 2022
Elon Musk said on Friday he's "just following the recommendation" of a Ukrainian diplomat who told the SpaceX founder to "fuck off," by seeking to offload responsibility for funding his Starlink internet terminals in Ukraine.
Musk's trolling came after Ukraine’s former Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk and the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted with hostility to Musk last week tweeting a series of Kremlin talking points, which he presented as a plan for peace in Russia's war on Ukraine. This raised concerns in Kyiv and among its allies as to whether Musk was still on Ukraine's side in the war.
Musk's tweet came in response to a CNN report that SpaceX had warned in a letter, dated September 8 and sent to the U.S. Department of Defense, that it can no longer afford to provide its Starlink terminals, which are crucial for Ukraine's military communication.
“We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time,” SpaceX said in the letter, which was signed by the company's director of government sales, adding that the Pentagon should take over the funding.
The Starlink satellite communication system has been crucial not only for Ukraine's military communication, but also for the government to maintain contact with commanders, for Zelenskyy to conduct interviews with journalists, and for civilian communications, connecting loved ones via the encrypted satellites.
Funding the systems would cost more than $120 million for the rest of the year and the price tag could reach almost $400 million for the next 12 months, according to SpaceX.
Ukraine has received around 20,000 Starlink satellite units. Musk said last week that the “operation has cost SpaceX $80 million and will exceed $100 million by the end of the year.”
Musk was initially lauded for providing the Starlink terminals to Ukraine, but according to the SpaceX letter, the vast majority were partially or fully funded by other parties, including the U.S. government, the U.K. and Poland. Poland is the largest single contributor and has paid for almost 9,000 terminals, which cost $1,500 and $2,500 for the two models sent to Ukraine, according to the documents.
Those governments also paid for a third of the internet connectivity while SpaceX funded the rest, making up the more expensive part of the bill, according to SpaceX.
Among the documents seen by CNN is also a request from Ukrainian General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi to SpaceX for almost 8,000 more Starlink terminals. SpaceX reportedly responded by recommending the request be sent to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The spat comes shortly after recent reports of Starlink outages, which have disrupted crucial Ukrainian military communication on the front lines.
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