SpaceX’s plan to launch an additional 22,488 satellites into low Earth orbit has faced opposition from a Ukrainian-American nonprofit. The group has filed two documents with the Federal Communications Commission opposing the company's expansion plans, citing concerns about Elon Musk's ties to Vladimir Putin and alleged use of the Starlink system by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The Ukraine Congressional Committee of the United States (UCCA) filed a denial and stay motion with the FCC. UCCA also highlighted the environmental impact of SpaceX's launch in Texas and possible conflicts of interest arising from Musk's role in the upcoming Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), Trump's presidential advisory council.
In September, the Ukrainian website DefenseExpress wrote that Russian drones are currently actively using Starlink hardware to conduct "unlimited" communications over Ukrainian territory.
In February, Musk denied that the Russian military was using Starlink after Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Service (GUR) said it had evidence of Russia's 83rd Commando Brigade using the service in two towns in the partially occupied Donetsk region.
UCCA President Michael Sawkiw (Jr.) told CNBC: "There is a need to determine whether Starlink is being used to aid foreign adversaries. If so, this is not in the national security interest of Ukrainian Americans, nor is it in the national security interest of the country as a whole."
The second document noted that an increasing number of rocket launches could cause environmental damage in Texas. "The Commission is obligated under applicable federal law to require the submission of an environmental assessment or impact statement before acting on an application," UCCA said.
The document adds: "The calculation is simple, more satellites and launches will lead to more pollution, soot, gases and metals in the Earth's atmosphere. There is also a concern about what will happen to the environment when these satellites re-enter the atmosphere at the end of their life. It is estimated that at the peak of deployment, 29 tons of satellites will be re-entered every day."
In October this year, an investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed that Musk has regularly held secret discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the end of 2022. MPs have called for an investigation into the contacts.
The Ukrainian Ukrainian-American Association (UCCA) says it advocates for issues of concern to the approximately 2 million Ukrainian-Americans living in the United States. The group previously filed an opinion against SpaceX in April regarding the company's request to acquire more spectrum for its Starlink network.
Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said at the time that the group's filing was "rife with sweeping and unfounded accusations that Ukraine is 'unlawfully interfering in U.S. foreign policy,' as well as complaints about the way Starlink connectivity is being provided within Ukraine." He added: "The FCC should deny this application with prejudice, lest the agency's silence invite more similar attempts."
Since the war began, SpaceX has supplied thousands of terminals to Ukraine and kept service going, something Ukraine was initially grateful for and which angered Russia. But Musk warned that the company's funding could not continue indefinitely - though he later backtracked and said aid efforts would still continue.
In 2023, SpaceX restricted Ukraine from using Starlink satellite services for offensive military purposes, further straining relations between the two parties. The move follows reports that Ukraine is using Starlink to control drones. Another book claims that Musk shut down Starlink out of fear of nuclear retaliation when he attacked Russian ships in Ukraine. In October 2022, the Russian peace plan proposed by Musk angered the entire Ukraine.