Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Sen. Chris Coons asked Elon Musk to preserve SpaceX records tied to restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink and Starshield, citing questions about control of communications systems used by Ukrainian forces and relied on by the U.S. government.
The Democratic senators sent Musk a four-page letter Nov. 13 and requested written confirmation by Nov. 30 that the company had taken appropriate steps to retain the material. Their request includes records dating to Sept. 1 and covers communications involving Musk, SpaceX executives, the White House and the Pentagon.
“The October and November restrictions now raise the disturbing possibility that these vulnerabilities persist even within systems on which the U.S. government relies,” Shaheen and Coons wrote.
Records sought by the senators
The letter seeks material that could show how the restrictions were developed, approved and carried out. The requested records include:
- Communications about Starlink and Starshield operations in Ukraine.
- Network logs, software changes and operational instructions.
- Records identifying who authorized or implemented the restrictions.
- Relevant communications with Russian officials.
The senators described SpaceX’s decision-making as opaque and raised concerns about vulnerabilities in systems that support communications and military operations. Ukrainian forces have said Starlink service is important to frontline communications and drone operations.
Dispute over speed restrictions
The inquiry follows reports that aircraft equipped with Starshield terminals lose connectivity when traveling faster than about 161 kilometers per hour, or 100 miles per hour. The restrictions have been linked to Ukrainian military missions, including operations involving drone interceptors, according to accounts cited in the senators’ letter.
Starshield is SpaceX’s military and intelligence service built on Starlink technology. It includes enhanced capabilities such as encryption, and Ukraine’s access has been procured by the U.S. government, according to an Oct. 19 letter released by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The dispute also involves competing accounts of who controls the limits. Musk has said the U.S. government controls Starshield and that the U.S. military sets restrictions on speed or use, with final decisions resting with President Donald Trump. Trump has denied involvement in the speed restrictions.
Shaheen is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The senators’ preservation request sets Nov. 30 as the deadline for SpaceX to confirm that the records have been protected.
