According to reports from Ukrainian media, SpaceX updated its software to limit the speed of Starlink terminals, causing satellite connections to be lost completely when vehicles or UAVs move faster than 160 km/h. Ukrainian soldiers said the restriction disrupted command and control and some essential missions during night fighting, while standard terminals continue to work normally. Preliminary analysis suggests SpaceX acted at the direct request of the Trump administration to prevent non-commercial military use of the satellite network, particularly by high-speed UAVs and long-range strike drones. The move came shortly after some Western intelligence channels were closed ahead of large-scale missile attacks on Kyiv. The article argues that Ukraine will need to address the impact on coordination of mobile strike groups and rapid UAV data transmission in the coming period.
Summary written by Upside AI from the original article. Read the source for full details.
Original headline: SpaceX hạn chế hoạt động của Starlink trên UAV Ukraine theo yêu cầu từ ông Trump
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