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Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX is building spy satellite network for US intelligence agency, sources say
Reuters ^ | 16-MAR-2024 | Joey Roulette and Marisa Taylor

Posted on 03/16/2024 2:21:55 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas

SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the program said, demonstrating deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies.

The network is being built by SpaceX's Starshield business unit under a $1.8 billion contract signed in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency that manages spy satellites, the sources said.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
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Is Musk supporting the 'deep state'?

Maybe he should be cancelled???

1 posted on 03/16/2024 2:21:55 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas
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To: SpeedyInTexas
Don't believe it.

Musk has been a thorn in the side of the Deep State by allowing free speech on X-Twitter when the Deep State-controlled media and tech companies have tried to kill it.

2 posted on 03/16/2024 2:25:53 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (A person who seeks the truth with a closed mind will never find it. He will only confirm his bias.)
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To: SpeedyInTexas

You think we should have no intelligence capacity in space? Good grief.
I’d rather cancel those who want us defenseless.
And I’d like to see the “five sources” for this article hung.


3 posted on 03/16/2024 2:31:25 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: RoosterRedux

Musk has acknowledged the program.

“SpaceX describes Starshield as a government-focused secure satellite network, and Elon Musk tweeted it “will be owned by the US government and controlled by DoD Space Force.” Last fall, the business unit signed a US Space Force contract to provide satellite communications for the military via Starlink.”

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/16/24103172/spacex-starshield-spy-satellite-network-us-intelligence-classified-contract


4 posted on 03/16/2024 2:35:25 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas (Defeat the Pro-RuZZia wing of the Republican Party)
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To: Williams

Peace my friend.

I’m making fun of the ‘deep state’ folks on FR.

Of course, I support the NRO program.


5 posted on 03/16/2024 2:36:15 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas (Defeat the Pro-RuZZia wing of the Republican Party)
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To: Williams

Of course. We do need intelligence capacity in space.
Whatever happened to ‘Incoming’?


6 posted on 03/16/2024 2:36:36 PM PDT by Veto! (FJB Sucks Rocks)
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To: Williams

It is not just for foreign adversaries. Over our skies it will be the proverbial “skynet” to monitor us civilians. In fact it is already in place and being used now.

Bet on it... He cannot prevent how our deep state uses it since they have the controls.


7 posted on 03/16/2024 2:44:42 PM PDT by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: RoosterRedux
Anybody who praises communist china and sets up ev’s and global sat to eventually control and subject peoples isn't cool. The entire point of Musks endeavors is to have ai and other innovations take away individual freedom and movement.
He's always been ‘ds’ just that people don't care.
8 posted on 03/16/2024 2:45:49 PM PDT by Theoria
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To: SpeedyInTexas
I’m making fun of the ‘deep state’ folks on FR.

Yes, how can Elon be anti-woke, anti-globalist while at the same time supporting the most evil country in the history of the world? Shouldn't he be building this for the savior of the world, Saint Putin?

9 posted on 03/16/2024 2:48:38 PM PDT by ETCM (“There is no security, no safety, in the appeasement of evil.” — Ronald Reagan)
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To: SpeedyInTexas

“Of course, I support the NRO program.”

I don’t, it is being used against U.S. Citizens daily.


10 posted on 03/16/2024 2:51:03 PM PDT by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: SpeedyInTexas
I have always liked and enjoyed watching Elon Musk.

However, his two primary sources of income - electric vehicles and space hardware - are heavily dependent on government funding and government legislation.

I love the fact that he took Twitter-X away from the Political Left.

Unfortunately, after paying $40 billion for a $10 billion business, I do not think Twitter-X can ever break even.

11 posted on 03/16/2024 2:51:34 PM PDT by zeestephen (Trump "Lost" By 43,000 Votes - Spread Across Three States - GA, WI, AZ)
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To: SpeedyInTexas

if this were real, it’d be top secret.

sounds like a planted story to hurt Elon’s public image.


12 posted on 03/16/2024 2:53:49 PM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: sten

You don’t believe “5 guys” with knowledge of? I heard 7 really smart guys say it was bullshit.


13 posted on 03/16/2024 3:00:29 PM PDT by silent majority rising (When it is dark enough, men see the stars. Ralph Waldo Emerson)
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To: RoosterRedux

You serious?

If you are, lol.


14 posted on 03/16/2024 3:02:23 PM PDT by Fuzz
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To: sten

SpaceX website has the program listed. I think its real.

https://www.spacex.com/starshield/


15 posted on 03/16/2024 3:02:30 PM PDT by SpeedyInTexas (Defeat the Pro-RuZZia wing of the Republican Party)
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To: SpeedyInTexas

There you go. Trump-Musk.

Musk is on the spectrum of autism, reportedly. I think I read that he acknowledged the same in an interview. He can appear flaky at times, which is confusing to me, but his meritorious outcomes prove to supercede his sometimes weird opinions.


16 posted on 03/16/2024 3:04:29 PM PDT by RitaOK (Viva Christo Rey. For Greater Glory. HIS. )
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To: Theoria
Here's Musk's praise of communist China:
“My frank observation is that China spends a lot of resources and efforts applying the latest digital technologies in different industries, including the automobile industry, making China a global leader in digitalization...”
Just to be clear, that isn't praise of China's communist system of government.

Any company that does or seeks to do business in China (and that is most American corporations who export) praises China's business advances. That doesn't mean they support communism.

17 posted on 03/16/2024 3:05:34 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (A person who seeks the truth with a closed mind will never find it. He will only confirm his bias.)
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To: RoosterRedux
There are many other ones, he praised the country on their 100th anniversary of the Chinese communist party, " The economic prosperity that China has achieved is truly amazing, especially in infrastructure! I encourage people to visit and see for themselves."

Naturally companies that do business with the commies, or aren't in favor of decoupling don't care. Musk and the rest of the lovers of china don't have complaints about the govt, human rights, etc. Musk certainly goes out of this way to bash America, which I understand is low hanging fruit.

18 posted on 03/16/2024 3:23:32 PM PDT by Theoria
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To: sten
sounds like a planted story to hurt Elon’s public image.

Elon has had many contracts with DoD, and the existence of his Starshield contracts are public knowledge. Starshield is the SpaceX portion of a larger program that gives the government not only their own Starlink satellite constellation (owned and controlled by the US, not Musk), but the ability to add satellites of various configurations and capabilities from SpaceX or any other manufacturer. In other words, SpaceX isn't the exclusive contractor, and you can rest assured that this system has more capabilities than the commercial Starlink, like reconnaissance (as stated in the Reuters piece).

So yes, Musk and SpaceX are a component of the American MIC. That doesn't make him a bad guy any more than being rich does, unless you subscribe to the "America is evil" viewpoint. I don't. The capabilities associated with Starshield will help keep us ahead of our adversaries for a while, but China is working hard to catch us. Hopefully Elon won't help them...

19 posted on 03/16/2024 3:52:00 PM PDT by ETCM (“There is no security, no safety, in the appeasement of evil.” — Ronald Reagan)
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To: silent majority rising

5 Guys should stick to making burgers.


20 posted on 03/16/2024 3:55:42 PM PDT by howlinhound (Tagline in the shop for repairs.)
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