I assume you're joking here, but if you're not: Elon did not try to negotiate with DoD through Twitter, the request for funding was sent to DoD by SpaceX's director of government sales, SpaceX and DoD has been talking about this in private before a traitor inside DoD leaked this to the press.
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Starlink and Ukraine War discussion
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ElectricIAC
Good-Natured Rascal
So, was Elon the "traitor" who leaked to the press?
Elon's tweet was the first I heard of it.
It's weird that you don't read the article you yourself posted, it's in the Guardian article you posted on Oct 14:
Russia escalates rhetoric on commercial satellites, calls them ‘legitimate targets for retaliation’
Russia escalates rhetoric on commercial satellites, calls them ‘legitimate targets for retaliation’
spacenews.com
That is very scary rhetoric. We know that Russia has effective anti-satellite weapons. A small number of them could effectively end the usefulness of LEO for everyone. Such an action would of course damage Russia as well. But Putin is not a rational actor.Russia escalates rhetoric on commercial satellites, calls them ‘legitimate targets for retaliation’
Russia escalates rhetoric on commercial satellites, calls them ‘legitimate targets for retaliation’
More likely, Russia could take out one Starlink sat and then say that if SpaceX does not shut down Starlink service in Ukraine they will take out more. There is no defense against that kind of blackmail.
Putin has already demonstrated that he doesn’t care about global opinion based on his crazy nuclear weapons threats and horrific attacks on Ukrainian civilians. His only real allies are Iran, Belarus, and North Korea. Even China is keeping its distance; nominally the Chinese are offering support but they have not voted with Russia on key UN resolutions, instead choosing to abstain. That speaks volumes. The Chinese do not want to see global economic disruptions.
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I doubt Russia has the ability to take out thousands of Starlink satellites.
petit_bateau
Active Member
A Russian attack using an ASAT missile on a Starlink satellite would definitely be attributable, i.e. Russia couldn't pretend that it wasn't a Russian missile fired by a different country. Such an attack would 99.9% certain be categorised as a NATO Art 5 moment.
A ground-based laser attack on a Starlink satellite is less clear. The Chinese have done that from time to time against Western satellites, but these were mostly intended to dazzle optical sensors. Such an approach would I think have little or no effect on a Starlink satellite.
One destroyed Starlink sat will produce hundreds of pieces of debris that can take out other sats. Blow up a small number of starlings, and you will have thousands of pieces of debris.
ElectricIAC
Good-Natured Rascal
At that altitude, the debris does fall back to earth. Non working Starlink satellites after 5 years would burn up automatically. Granted, could take a while to clear the area after that event but at least it’s at a location that cleans itself.
My apologies for not noticing the autocorrect error; there are no birds in LEO. Well, no birds with heartbeats, anyway.
Just read it will take 4000 rockets to destroy Starlink.
Russia is a bit short of rockets (and most things except oil) these days.
Russia is a bit short of rockets (and most things except oil) these days.
ElectricIAC
Good-Natured Rascal
Takeaway is that Elon can launch replacement satellites faster and cheaper than Russia could shoot them down.
Believe launch last week boosted about 50 Starlink units up with one rocket.
Believe launch last week boosted about 50 Starlink units up with one rocket.
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