SpaceX ramps up launches of Starlink satellites amid Russian threats to attack them - The Washington Post

A few days ago, a Russian foreign ministry official called U.S. commercial satellites "legitimate targets" for attack. This was especially true of SpaceX and its Starlink satellites, which have become a significant aid to the Ukrainian government and military. However, SpaceX, amid these threats, only continues to increase the pace of launching new satellites.

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On Thursday night, SpaceX launched another of its Falcon 9 rockets into space, the 49th in 2022, a record. It is estimated that the company continues to launch rockets about once every six days. This time, it launched 53 Starlink satellites into orbit, joining more than 3,000 working satellites. As a result, analysts say SpaceX has more satellites than all other companies combined.

And on Tuesday, SpaceX will launch a much more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket. This time, the customer is the U.S. Space Force, and the payload is strictly classified.

The launches come amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia and the war in Ukraine. And just days after Russia threatened to attack commercial satellites. A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the proliferation of private satellites is "an extremely dangerous trend that goes beyond the harmless use of space technology and has manifested itself in the recent events in Ukraine. He also warned that "quasi-civilian infrastructure could become a legitimate target of retaliation."

The White House responded that any attack on U.S. infrastructure would be met with a response and method of their choosing. "We will pursue all means to explore, deter and hold Russia accountable for any such attacks", the U.S. government stressed.

Source: The Washington Post