Starshield Spectrum Breach ~ USA Herald ~ 20 October

It's clear how I feel about these satellites from a recent post (here). So I will refrain from saying too much about this unintended exposé because this article says it all so well, but I will add this emoji 😡

I am not familiar with USA Herald, so I had to see if I could find some validation for this breach to ensure it's not some sensationalism piece. Just like 3I/Atlas' coverage (or lack thereof), no "official" source is reporting this. USA Herald quotes National Public Radio as the source of this exposé, and adds their own analysis to their article. If not for their analysis and opinion, I wouldn't even have made the connection between this violation interfering with Astronomy efforts to track 3I/Atlas post-perihelion.

Please read USA Herald's excellent full report, here is a short excerpt: 

1. A constellation of classified defense satellites, part of SpaceX’s secretiveStarshieldprogram, is transmitting downlinks on radio bands reserved for uplinks — a move that potentially violates international radio norms established by the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The unusual transmissions were first detected by Canadian amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, not by a government agency or corporate insider.
2. These mysterious transmissions are occurring at a critical moment. Astronomers worldwide are calibrating their telescopes to capture the interstellar object3I/ATLASas it re-emerges from behind the Sun in early December. Experts now fear that the Starshield network’s activity could interfere with sensitive scientific instruments designed to detect faint signals from deep space.
3. Neither Elon Musk nor the U.S. government has publicly commented on the matter. NPR’s October 17 report confirmed that signals from Starshield satellites are being received on frequencies between 2025 and 2110 MHz, a spectrum legally reserved for Earth-to-space communications. The secrecy surrounding these downlinks and the timing of their discovery have sparked debate over national security, scientific transparency, and regulatory oversight.

By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald | October 20, 2025

 

This is one more layer added to the already very suspicious circumstances and behaviour stemming from "official channels" in relation to 3I/Atlas.

Personal note: I honestly cannot remember how I came across this article from USA Herald. I know I was just scanning the first couple of pages of search results to see if anyone had posted any genuine news about 3I/Atlas and the next thing I know, I'm reading this article.

Namarie! 💚