Elon Musk’s satellite company, SpaceX, has a potential inside track to take over a $2 billion federal contract to modernize the US air traffic communications system. Equipment from Musk’s Starlink has been installed in FAA facilities as a prelude to the takeover, according to government employees and contractors.
The current Verizon-led effort is aging and requires immediate modernization, Musk said on social media. He posted that the Verizon system is not working and poses serious risks to air travelers. However, former FAA officials are alarmed by the lack of transparency surrounding Starlink’s involvement in the project.
SpaceX plans to use its constellation of satellites to replace an aging ground-based communications system used by the FAA. The agency had awarded a 15-year contract to Verizon in 2023 to update part of that system using fiber optic cables. Nearly $200 million of work has already been done on the project.
The FAA announced it is testing Starlink terminals at its facility in Atlantic City and two non-safety critical sites in Alaska. SpaceX is working with L3 Harris, another contractor, on the initiative.
There are concerns about Musk’s potential role in the contract award process due to his senior White House adviser position and business interests. Government ethics laws require recusal or severing ties with companies that could benefit from government work. However, it appears that three SpaceX employees have received “ethics waivers” for their involvement in federal government projects.
The FAA contract is just one of the many conflicts of interest surrounding Musk’s involvement in government work. His company, Tesla, and his brain-computer interface company Neuralink also face regulatory issues.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-starlink-spacex-faa-bbe9495978cac61b60c2971168e2921f