A stack of 27 SpaceX Starlink satellites are seen aboard the upper stage of their Falcon 9 rocket before deployment on Aug. 22, 2026. Starshield satellites are believed to be based on the Starlink spacecraft bus. (Image credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX is building and operating two satellite networks at the moment, Starlink and Starshield. What’s the difference between the two, and who uses them?

For more than a week in October 2026, Ukrainian drone operators found their high-speed satellite links shut off. Officials in Kyiv said that terminals for SpaceX ’s Starshield network stopped working at speeds of above 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) from Oct. 14, hampering efforts to conduct defensive operations and intercept Russian drones. Full connectivity was restored on Oct.…