Chinese military researchers are reportedly working on methods to disrupt or eliminate SpaceX’s Starlink satellites if they threaten national security.

China must acquire the capability to track, monitor, and, if required, kill all Starlink satellites in orbit around the Earth, reported SCMP, citing a study published last month.  

The study states: “A combination of soft and hard kill methods should be adopted to make some Starlink satellites lose their functions and destroy the constellation’s operating system.”

SpaceX operates the Starlink satellite constellation system. It currently employs over 2,400 low-earth orbit satellites capable of providing high-speed internet anywhere globally.

The system has been credited with providing the internet to some of the world’s most remote areas. Elon Musk, the CEO, intends to deploy as many as 30,000 satellites over the next decade.

The US Department of Defense has also inked a deal with SpaceX to use the Starlink platform for military purposes. This agreement includes creating sensors for tracking hypersonic missiles, which China already has in its arsenal.

As a result, China is concerned about the security threats that SpaceX could pose to its national security, as EurAsian Times had earlier reported.

Ren Yuanzhen, a researcher with the PLA’s Strategic Support Force’s Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications, led the study. Several renowned scientists from China’s defense industry were among the co-authors.