Starlink Satellites Under Threat From Russia?
Russia could be targeting Starlink satellites after the country deemed them being used in war.
This article is more than 2 years old
The Starlink satellites that orbit the planet are now being threatened by Russia. A new statement has been released by the country detailing the nature of these satellites being used as the main communication line for Ukraine. Russia has also brought up the Outer Space Treaty which brings into question the validity of the satellites if they are being used in a conflict, as open space to remain neutral and peaceful.
This is an interesting development, as the usage of these Starlink satellites could force Russia to face track pulling out of the International Space Station a lot quicker. That has been the looming issue since the country decided to attempt to take over and conquer Ukraine. Whether or not the country pulling out of the ISS is linked to the attempted Ukraine takeover has yet to be confirmed.
Still, Russia might take more offense to these Starlink satellites being used as a means of communication in war, as the Open Space Treaty is meant to prevent any country from doing so. Russia pulling out of the ISS will happen after 2024, and the country has stated they plan to fulfill its promises to its partners before making the shift to have its own orbital space station.
There is no telling what might happen if Ukraine continues to use the Starlink satellites in this manner, but it could lead Russia to appeal to the United Nations about this usage of the satellites in open war. A much more detailed look at the Open Space Treaty does refer mostly to prohibiting the usage of Weapons of Mass Destruction from space, but it has since been deemed by analysts to mean that all weapons systems used from space should be prohibited.
Should the Starlink satellites be in trouble from Russia, this could cause major problems for SpaceX. SpaceX is the manufacturer of the Starlink satellites, and the company was founded and is run by Elon Musk. Musk seems to always be surrounded by controversy and having an entire country going after his company would certainly be on par for the man right now.
The argument could be made that Russia cannot interfere with the Starlink satellites as the country has acted on its own to attempt to invade and take over Ukraine. This decision has been condemned by many countries, and the United Nations could feel the same way if Russia were to bring up the Open Space Treaty during an address to stop the satellites from being used. This is just speculation at this point, but the threat of these satellites being used during a war is a real issue.
Starlink satellites may not be shot down by Russia, as the country could find itself in far more trouble if it was to do so, but they could still go through the proper channels to attempt to stop the satellites from being further used. Tensions are certainly high right now though, and this added development could cause even further descent between Russia and the rest of the world.
