SpaceX’s Starshield satellites reportedly transmit signals on unauthorized frequencies

SpaceX could violate international telecommunications standards by allowing its Starshield satellites to transmit to Earth on frequencies it is not supposed to use, NPR reports. Starshield is a classified version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network offered under contract to government agencies “to support national security efforts,” according to the company’s website.

The report is based on the findings of amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, who observed what appeared to be Starshield satellites broadcasting on frequencies normally dedicated to “uplink” transmissions from Earth to orbiting satellites. Using frequencies in this way violates standards set by the International Telecommunications Union, a United Nations agency dedicated to coordinating the use of radio spectrum around the world.

Standards around which frequencies are used for uplink and downlink broadcasts to satellites were created to avoid interference, among other technical issues. “Nearby satellites could receive radio interference and may not respond properly to commands – or ignore commands – from Earth,” Tilley said. NPR. It’s not yet clear whether SpaceX ignoring these rules is causing satellite communications problems, but if problems do arise, there is now a possible cause.

SpaceX’s first major Starshield project was a $70 million contract with the US Space Force in 2023. More recently, in 2024, there were reports that SpaceX’s Starshield division had been tasked with building a network of spy satellites to collect images of Earth for the Department of Defense’s National Reconnaissance Office.