The US military has given Elon Musk’s SpaceX access to restricted space tracking data, according to The Guardian. The access gives the company an advantage in tracking objects in orbit.
The move raises fresh national security questions, industry observers said. It was widely viewed in the industry as an attempt by Musk to privatise space traffic control, handing a private company a bigger say over how crowded orbits are managed.
SpaceX already runs the largest satellite constellation in orbit through Starlink, and its military arm, Starshield, builds on the same technology. Access to sensitive tracking data would deepen that position at a moment when orbit is getting more congested and more contested.
The Guardian reported the access on Sunday, and the story was picked up by several other outlets the same day.
Source: The Guardian
