SpaceX Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine cost the US government $3 million, a report says.

According to a report, SpaceX's gift of Starlink internet terminals and service to Ukraine may be partially funded by the US government, despite the fact that SpaceX, Elon Musk's rocket firm, has said it has not received any funding from the government.

The Washington Post reported Friday on the expenditures, citing US Agency for International Development papers. According to the Post, the US government and taxpayers contributed almost $3 million to the endeavour. According to the publication, this money was used to purchase about 1,500 Starlink terminals at a cost of $1,500 each, plus $800,000 for delivery fees to Ukraine.

Additionally, the Post said that SpaceX contributed 3,670 terminals in addition to the internet service itself. Its story did not specify how much this may have cost SpaceX.

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"I don't believe the US has granted us any money to deliver terminals to Ukraine," SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell told CNBC in late March. According to CNBC, she also stated that the majority of funding came from private sources and acknowledged assistance from France and probably Poland.

Musk announced shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February that SpaceX would give Starlink terminals to Ukraine to allow citizens to access the internet in the face of disruptions to other internet access options. He also asked users to exercise caution in order to avoid being discovered by Russian forces.

According to the Post story, slightly more than 5,000 Starlink terminals have been selected for shipment to Ukraine.

This Monday, USAID announced that it had "delivered 5,000 Starlink terminals to the Ukrainian government in a public-private cooperation with American aerospace firm SpaceX." In an email reply to CNET, USAID stated that it "directly acquired 1,333 terminals for the Ukrainian government and provided on-the-ground logistical support to ensure their safe delivery."

According to a USAID spokesperson, the delivery of the Starlink terminals was made possible by "a range of stakeholders," whose combined contributions totaled more than $15 million and facilitated a variety of activities, including procurement, international flights, on-the-ground transportation, and the satellite internet service.

The first SpaceX Starlink terminals were delivered in late February in response to a request from Ukraine's vice prime minister and minister of digital development, Mykhailo Fedorov.

While you are attempting to populate Mars, Russia is attempting to annex Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land in orbit, Russian rockets hit the civilian population of Ukraine! We request that you deliver Starlink stations to Ukraine and address rational Russians to stand, "Fedorov responded to the tweet at the time.

Since 2018, Starlink has sent around 2,000 satellites into orbit to create a global internet grid.

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