Musk: Verizon’s upgrade of air traffic system failing; proposes Starlink instead
In a series of statements in the last few days Elon Musk has claimed that the $2.4 billion upgrade of the FAA’s air traffic system by Verizon is failing, and further suggested, in a proposal fraught with conflict-of-interest issues, that SpaceX take over the contract instead.
The CNN article that I link to above is surprisingly well written. It describes the situation fairly, and includes no slanderous asides on Musk or SpaceX, as I have found typical of almost every other article written by the propaganda press about this particular subject (or any about Musk).
If Musk says Verizon’s upgrade is failing, I would tend to believe him. That Verizon has barely begun work installing the upgrades, two years after winning the contract, reinforces his accusations. SpaceX has already provided the FAA at no cost three Starlink terminals for testing, and if it does get the job we can be sure the upgrade would be installed far quicker than this.
The conflict-of-interest issue however remains. I am not sure how, or even if, Musk or SpaceX can get around it.
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In a series of statements in the last few days Elon Musk has claimed that the $2.4 billion upgrade of the FAA’s air traffic system by Verizon is failing, and further suggested, in a proposal fraught with conflict-of-interest issues, that SpaceX take over the contract instead.
The CNN article that I link to above is surprisingly well written. It describes the situation fairly, and includes no slanderous asides on Musk or SpaceX, as I have found typical of almost every other article written by the propaganda press about this particular subject (or any about Musk).
If Musk says Verizon’s upgrade is failing, I would tend to believe him. That Verizon has barely begun work installing the upgrades, two years after winning the contract, reinforces his accusations. SpaceX has already provided the FAA at no cost three Starlink terminals for testing, and if it does get the job we can be sure the upgrade would be installed far quicker than this.
The conflict-of-interest issue however remains. I am not sure how, or even if, Musk or SpaceX can get around it.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
It has been discussed that SpaceX might eventually spin off Starlink.
Depending on the particulars, that could potentially solve the conflict of interest issue. I doubt that an FAA contract, by itself, would be sufficient reason for such a spinoff.
Musk and political involvement could end up as a bad fit. Conflict of interest on a win or avoiding contracts is not a good position to be in. Not when the win would be good for the country but stirs up even more resistance.
In my view, Musk has charted a dangerous path. The results won’t be known until the dust settles.
I don’t know what the Verizon contract calls for but if Verizon is not performing, that would seem sufficient grounds to vacate the deal.
The way to eliminate conflict of interest considerations is for the contract to be re-competed – without Verizon being allowed to bid – and to hand the job to some other entity. If that turns out to be SpaceX and Starlink, then so be it.
The government is going to be forced – by time constraints and the lack of suitable alternatives – to rely on SpaceX a great deal over the next few years for many things including, in all likelihood, an alternative to SLS-Orion for Artemis Moon missions and the vast majority of the work on the space-based portion of the Iron Dome for America system. SpaceX is both ready and able to take on such work and no other organization is.
Failing to utilize its services because of the superficial appearance of conflicts of interest would be the worst kind of cutting off of our nose to spite our face. There were a lot more “conflicts of interest” on the part of members of the War Production Board during WW2 than anything in prospect anent SpaceX and Musk. Exigent circumstances overrode other considerations then and should do so now. We need to get to the Moon and we need actual physical protection from threats by the PRC, Russia and even from the bad actors at the nuclear kiddies table, North Korea and Iran. And we need all of that ASAP. “Appearances” can go hang.
Off planet development is reaching a tipping point somewhat as the “New World” did for Europeans a few hundred years ago. It will start with the moon with Mars being a distant second destination. If Elon ties up resources going for Mars, competition will develop the Lunar resources without him. Though I expect SpaceX to shift Lunar when it is realized how many advantages it has. That is if Mars is not the ventriloquist dummy for a Lunar shift in the first place.
https://selenianboondocks.com/2025/02/the-moon-as-a-preferred-off-earth-settlement/
@Dick Eagleson. Just as you made a bet in mid 2021 that Starship would be operational by 1 January 2024, the dangers and difficulty of the Doge focus can hit many pitfalls. Regulation is seriously hampering progress in this country as well as the overspending. One major problem is the Ponzi scheme that is Social Security that is simultaneously a massive unfunded liability and the “third rail” politically. Another is the federal involvement with the medical industry with the massive costs. Military spending is a third massive expense that needs to be addressed. Each of these three is both a massive drain on expenditures and necessary at this time. Without addressing the big three, getting the national budget under control is unlikely. That will take a skill set not obvious at this time. There is a quote from advertising that half of the advertising budget is wasted, But which half?
Just let Verizon show it’s PROGRESS and INTENTIONS! Is this just ANOTHER one of those “cost plus” deals that would have dragged out for a decade at ten times the cost and no really efficient results? OH, and since “conflict of interest” is such a BIG DEAL, how many Congress Critters bought/sold Verizon stock!! There’s no doubt that CC’s are enriching themselves with INSIDER/INFLUENCER Trading! Having Mr. Musk’s company involved in SOLVING a SERIOUS ISSUE at the SAME PRICE as Verizon should NOT be considered a conflict.
Now just to be FAIR – let several companies develop THEIR systems and subject them ALL to CONTROLLED TESTS and let the BEST get the contract. I will bet MY money on Mr. Musk!!
I appreciate the outstanding job that Elon has been doing with DOGE, but I’m still worried that any time and attention he devotes to that project will distract him from his worthy goals at SpaceX. In many ways, he is the proverbial “indispensable man.” It would have been nice if they could have been able to find someone else just as good at doggedly rooting out government waste and corruption, but I have no clue who that could be. This conflict-of-interest stuff is another price we pay for having Elon in that position.