American Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has launched a parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances surrounding restrictions on Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starshield military satellite system. He has demanded that the Pentagon and Elon Musk explain who made the decision to alter the system's operation, which made it difficult for Ukrainian forces to counter Russian attacks.
This was reported on October 22 by the senator's press office. Details were also provided by Reuters.
Blumenthal, who serves as the senior Democratic member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent official letters to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
The senator intends to ascertain who ordered the restrictions on Starshield's speed for Ukrainian forces—the White House, the Department of Defense, or SpaceX itself.
According to Blumenthal, on the evening of October 13, Ukrainian forces encountered a restriction on satellite connectivity without prior warning. As a result, equipment mounted on fast-moving platforms ceased to function properly.
The senator noted that the restrictions negatively affected Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian attack drones. He also stated that on October 19 he personally discussed the situation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who confirmed that communication problems persisted.
Blumenthal believes that what occurred casts doubt on the reliability of military technologies purchased by the U.S. government for billions of dollars if access to them can be restricted without a transparent decision-making process.
What documents were requested from the Pentagon and SpaceX
In the official request, the senator demanded to establish the legal and technical grounds for the satellite system restrictions.
In particular, the U.S. military must explain which officials participated in the decision, who directly changed equipment settings, and whether the Ukrainian side was warned about the impending restrictions.
Special attention is given to SpaceX's authority. Blumenthal wants to find out whether the company can independently restrict, disable, or change Starshield's operating parameters without Pentagon permission.
The senator also requested information about government contracts with SpaceX for Starlink and Starshield services beginning in fiscal year 2020, including their value, terms of service, and provisions regarding termination of access.
Additionally, the Pentagon and the company must provide documents and correspondence related to the satellite communication restrictions for Ukraine, including contacts between SpaceX, the Department of Defense, and the White House.
Blumenthal demanded written responses to the Pentagon questions by November 5, 2026. SpaceX representatives directly familiar with the circumstances of the Starshield restrictions must conduct a closed or open briefing for the subcommittee no later than November 12.
The U.S. Department of Defense told Reuters that they would respond to the senator's inquiry through proper channels.
However, the investigation has certain procedural limitations. Because Republicans control the Senate, Democrats on the subcommittee do not have independent authority to compel documents and testimony. At this stage, Blumenthal can send requests and seek briefings.
Washington and SpaceX offer differing explanations for the restrictions
The question of responsibility for changing Starshield's operation remains open.
Earlier, Elon Musk stated that the Starshield military system is under the control of the U.S. government, and that the restrictions on speed and usage conditions are set by the U.S. military. According to him, the final decision rests with the President of the United States.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that the order to restrict satellite connectivity came directly from Musk after his contacts with the U.S. administration.
U.S. President Donald Trump denied that he personally made the decision to restrict Ukraine's access to the satellite system. He later said the problems had been resolved, but the Ukrainian side did not confirm full restoration of services.
As reported by Kurs.com.ua, on October 23 the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that satellite connectivity had partially improved, but restrictions remain in effect.
Earlier, a group of bipartisan U.S. senators had already written to the Pentagon's Inspector General demanding an investigation into Starshield outages for Ukraine.
Blumenthal's current initiative involves a broader analysis of the U.S. government's relationship with SpaceX. In particular, the senator aims to find out how dependent the U.S. Armed Forces are on the company's technologies and whether the Pentagon has alternative satellite communication systems in case of new restrictions.
