Accusations flew from Chinese military and state media towards the United States, following revelations from a report detailing SpaceX‘s involvement in constructing hundreds of spy satellites for a US intelligence agency.
According to the report, SpaceX’s Starshield unit is spearheading this development under a classified $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) took to social media, lambasting the program as evidence of American “shamelessness and double standards,” especially considering US accusations against Chinese tech companies.
A PLA social media account, Junzhengping, with 1.1 million followers on Weibo, urged US companies not to aid “villainous” activities. It called on all nations to remain vigilant against potential security threats orchestrated by the US government.
Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge, echoed these sentiments, labeling the SpaceX satellite initiative as a threat to global security and stability. Wang suggested that heightened US intelligence reconnaissance could exacerbate tensions in sensitive regions.
Notably absent from the Chinese discourse were mentions of Elon Musk or his other ventures like Tesla, despite his companies’ significant presence in China. The NRO acknowledged its mission to develop space-based surveillance systems but refrained from commenting on the extent of SpaceX’s involvement.
Meanwhile, SpaceX, the largest satellite operator globally, remained silent on inquiries regarding the contract.
It’s worth noting that the Starshield network, under development by SpaceX, is distinct from Starlink, SpaceX’s broadband constellation aimed at providing global internet access. Chinese military researchers have been monitoring Starlink’s deployment in the Ukrainian conflict, warning about its perceived risks to China.
In response, China has plans to launch its satellite constellations. As of now, neither SpaceX, the NRO, nor the Pentagon has responded to China’s criticism of the contract.
