China Claims U.S. Is Militarizing Space Using SpaceX Satellites for Espionage
An official Chinese military publication has accused the United States of “militarizing space” by building a sophisticated network of spy satellites with the help of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. According to the report, this poses “huge challenges” to the information security and space assets of “other countries.”
As previously reported, SpaceX’s Starshield division has begun developing a network of hundreds of low-Earth orbit satellites that will allow the U.S. government and military to “quickly identify potential targets almost anywhere on the globe.” In 2021, Starshield and the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. agency that manages spy satellites, signed a secret $1.8 billion contract.
According to a commentary in the PLA Daily, the Chinese military newspaper, such a satellite network could “warn of and intercept missiles and control unmanned combat platforms remotely,” playing an “extremely important role on the battlefield.” The planned Starshield network “not only improved its secure communication capabilities” compared to the Starlink satellite internet system, but also “significantly expanded its Earth observation capabilities and payload functionality.”
The PLA Daily commentary criticizes U.S. policy, stating that it is “increasingly militarizing the transformation and development of low-orbit satellites” by collaborating with civilian and commercial organizations. The publication argues that this “highlights the U.S. ambition to seize orbital resources and pursue hegemony in space.”
The use of Starshield for military purposes also “poses huge challenges to other countries in terms of information security and the safety of space assets.” The PLA Daily notes that in recent regional military conflicts, the U.S. has relied on its space-based military capabilities, intervening in other countries’ affairs by providing information support “through non-combat means.”
“Such actions present serious challenges to maintaining regional peace and stability,” the article states.
In the early stages of the war in Ukraine, SpaceX provided its civilian Starlink satellite internet service, with costs covered by Washington since June 2023. In February, Starlink also received a license to operate in Israel and parts of the Gaza Strip.
Chinese state-owned enterprises are developing competitors to Musk’s Starlink, such as G60 Starlink and the Guo Wang project. In 2022, Beijing unveiled a five-year space program that includes the goal of creating “remote sensing systems using satellites.” China is also aiming to deploy satellites in very low Earth orbits—below 300 km—which is cheaper and can provide higher-resolution images. However, because these satellites are closer to Earth, more are needed to cover a given area, making the network more complex.
The PLA is actively developing its own space military capabilities under the Strategic Support Force, established in 2015 under the direct leadership of the Communist Party’s top military command. This organization coordinates the use of civilian innovations for future intelligence warfare.