SpaceX’s Starshield satellites are reportedly transmitting signals on unauthorized frequencies

SpaceX may be violating international telecommunications standards by allowing its Starshield satellites to transmit to Earth on frequencies they should not be using, 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 findings by amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, who observed what appear to be Starshield satellites broadcasting on frequencies normally reserved for « uplink » transmissions from Earth to satellites in orbit. Using the frequencies in this way violates the standards set by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency dedicated to coordinating the use of radio frequency spectrum around the world.

The standards around which frequencies are used for uplink and downlink transmissions to satellites are created to avoid interference, among other technical issues. « Nearby satellites can get radio frequency interference and might not be able to respond properly to commands — or ignore commands — from Earth, » Tilley said. NPR. It’s not yet clear whether SpaceX’s ignoring of these rules is causing problems with satellite communications, but if problems do occur, there’s already a possible cause.

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