SpaceX will attempt a full static fire test of Starship’s Super Heavy booster tomorrow
TechCrunchDec 23, 2022
The Facts
SpaceX founder Elon Musk defended his company's decision to limit Ukraine’s military use of Starlink — the satellite internet service provider — stating that the company would not allow an escalation of the Ukraine conflict that could lead to World War III.
Musk's defense came after SpaceX's chief operating officer, Gwynne Shotwell, last week announced that the company had taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the service for operating drones as Starlink was not intended "for offensive purposes" — prompting backlash from Ukrainian politicians.
The Spin
Narrative A
Musk has rightly come under fire for limiting the Ukrainian military's use of Starlink. It's a critical piece of infrastructure that's helping Kyiv fend off Russia's unprovoked invasion.
Narrative B
As Musk has stated, SpaceX is fully entitled to limit how Ukraine can use Starlink given that its terms make clear that it's not for military use. Ukraine's military should be thankful it's still able to use it for other purposes outside of drones.
