Elon Musk demands that the Pentagon pay for Starlink in Ukraine

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., speaks during a delivery ceremony for Tesla Model S sedan in Beijing, China, 22 April 2014.

Tesla Motors Inc. began deliveries of the Model S sedan in China as Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk tested the reluctance of consumers in the worlds largest auto market to buy electric cars.
The billionaire chairman hosted an event on Tuesday (22 April 2014) to mark the occasion, according to the Palo Alto, California-based company. The electric-car maker has been taking orders since August and opened an 800-square-meter (8,600 square feet) store in a Beijing shopping mall late last year to showcase its vehicles.

Elon Musk continues to be the protagonist of the news. According to what was declared in these hours, in fact, the network of Starlink satellite terminals donated to Ukraine is experiencing unsustainable costs in the long run. According to Elon Musk, it will be up to the Pentagon and, therefore, to the American government to bear the costs of managing satellite connectivity in Ukraine.

Elon Musk beats home: the Pentagon must pay for Starlink in Ukraine

As revealed by Elon Musk, SpaceX has already spent about $ 80 million managing Starlink in Ukraine. Over the next few months, spending is expected to exceed $ 120 million and then reach $ 400 million by 2023.

Musk clarified that SpaceX is not in a position to donate other terminals to Ukraine or to fund existing terminals continuously and indefinitely. The satellite connection is a fundamental weapon for the Ukrainian army.

In the long run, however, SpaceX will not continue to bear the costs of the service. Most likely, it will be up to the Pentagon to cover the expenses for the satellite connection, thus continuing to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. More details will arrive, of course, over the next few days.