China Concerned About SpaceX Starlink's Security Threat, Urged To Monitor Elon Musk's Satellite Internet

Reports said Chinese military experts are developing means to damage or destroy SpaceX's Starlink satellites if they threaten national security.

The military specialists in Beijing, China, have advised a surveillance system to follow the thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit.

The study, directed by Ren Yuanzhen, was purely academic, and it's unclear how much it reflects the official Chinese government or military doctrine.

However, according to South China Morning Post, China must develop the power to detect, monitor, and, if necessary, destroy all Starlink satellites in orbit above the Earth.

(Photo : PABLO COZZAGLIO/AFP via Getty Images)
View of an antenna of the Starlink satellite internet at the Jhon F. Kennedy school in Sotomo, Los Lagos Region in southern Chile, on August 8, 2021. - South African billionaire Elon Mask's SpaceX company's Starlink started to deliver internet access Friday in Chile, making it the first country in Latin America and the southern hemisphere to have access to this experimental service.

China to Destroy Elon Musk's Starlink?

Additional monitoring capabilities are proposed in the paper, which would allow China to monitor data carried between Starlink satellites, potentially improving Beijing's information-gathering capabilities.

On the other hand, dismantling the SpaceX satellite system would be tough for China because the system can continue to operate even if certain satellites are lost.

According to Eurasian Times, Ren argues that China must deploy super-sharp space surveillance satellites to monitor the Starlink system. In order to anticipate attacks, the government must also monitor and evaluate the data being conveyed.

Despite the risks of space debris interfering with other activities, he believes China should strengthen its satellite-killing skills and make it more cost-effective to delete diverse targets such as Starlink.

"The Starlink constellation constitutes a decentralized system. The confrontation is not about individual satellites but the whole system. "This requires some low-cost, high-efficiency measures," the researchers stated, without explaining the attack methods.  

NASA Raises Some Concerns With SpaceX Starlink

SpaceX's ambitious high-speed satellite internet initiative, Starlink, employs orbital 'constellations' of small satellites to provide access to faraway places.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, SpaceX deployed thousands of Starlink terminals to keep the nation connected.

According to the Pentagon, Russian hackers attempted to jam Starlink's network, but SpaceX experts were able to avoid it.

Starlink is causing problems for more than just the Chinese and Russian governments. NASA has also expressed dissatisfaction with the project, since SpaceX plans to launch 30,000 satellites into low-Earth orbit over the next few years.

ALSO READ: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Sends Off 53 Starlink Satellites Despite Elon Musk's Rift With Employee

The space agency wrote to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) telecoms regulator in February. 

"NASA has concerns with the potential for a significant increase in the frequency of conjunction events and possible impacts to NASA's science and human spaceflight missions," the agency said, Daily Star reported.

Other Countries Eyeing Elon Musk's Company

China and Russia have recently been interested in SpaceX. The expansion of Starlink's space footprint should put the "international community" on "high alert," according to state-controlled Chinese media.

On the other side, Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency, has warned Elon Musk of retaliation if he provides an internet connection to Ukraine after Moscow has blocked it.

Rogozin said (via The Blast): "Elon Musk, thus, is involved in supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine with military communication equipment. And for this, Elon, you will be held accountable like an adult - no matter how much you'll play the fool."

Musk then joked about Russian forces assassinating him. He tweeted, "If I die under mysterious circumstances, it's been nice knowin ya."

Both Russia and China have upgraded anti-satellite missiles, which have been highlighted as a potential threat to the United States and its allies.

In 2007, China conducted its first anti-satellite test, shooting down an old meteorological spacecraft. Since then, the country has concentrated on developing technologies to capture or destroy satellites in order to prevent space trash from accumulating.

Aside from robotic arms and space nets, China has developed a number of ground-based weapons that can hit a satellite.

China is developing a wide range of space technology, including satellites, launch vehicles, sensors, and lunar systems, all intending to help Beijing in achieving its long-term goal of becoming a significant space power.

According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, rivals such as Russia and China will find it tough to destroy his company's Starlink satellites. Musk mentioned an earlier anti-satellite test done by Russia in an interview.

This test used Russia's PL-19 Nudol anti-ballistic (DA-AST) missile interceptor to show its direct ascent anti-satellite capability to destroy an old satellite of its own.

Musk is certain that such a system will not be used to target the company's satellites. Starlink now has around 2,000 satellites, and it would take 2,000 anti-satellite missiles to bring down the entire constellation.

Furthermore, Musk believes SpaceX can launch more satellites into space in a given time frame than adversaries can destroy.

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