Musk says US military suicide drones used Starlink in violation of SpaceX rules

Tensions have arisen between SpaceX and the U.S. military regarding the use of the Starshield satellite service amid ongoing conflicts in Iran. Recent reports indicate that SpaceX requested an increase in fees after discovering that the military had employed the Starlink satellite terminals on 'kamikaze' drones during operations. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has publicly disputed the accuracy of these reports, asserting that they are misleading. However, he acknowledged that the military initially utilized the commercial Starlink service, which contravenes the terms of service established for the civilian network. Musk attributed the misuse to the contractor responsible for producing the drones for military applications. According to the report, which draws on Pentagon documents and insider accounts, SpaceX had sought $25,000 for each drone's access to the Starshield service—an increase from the previous $5,000 fee. While the Pentagon initially resisted this price hike, they ultimately acquiesced, as stated in the report. The $25,000 fee pertains to the monthly satellite connection for terminals that facilitate one-way missions, with drones designed to crash into targets and explode upon impact. Starshield, which is tailored for government use, operates on technology derived from Starlink. Responding to the controversy, Musk took to social media to insist that the Reuters article misrepresented the situation. Yet, in the same post, he confirmed that the military's use of SpaceX technology was improper. He emphasized that the military had misappropriated the civilian Starlink system instead of using the designated Starshield network. Musk further clarified that a military contractor had improperly configured the drones, leading to the incorrect use of the civilian system. He noted that SpaceX has a government-focused branch, Starshield, which utilizes a distinct set of satellites compared to the civilian Starlink network.