--- title: "SpaceX’s Classified Military Satellites Emitting “Mysterious Signal”" description: "SpaceX's classified military satellites are emitting a \"mysterious signal\" that could be violating international standards, [*NPR* reports]()." date: "2025-10-21" modified: "2025-10-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/space/spacex-satellites-mysterious-signal" categories: - "Military" - "Off-World" - "Science & Energy" - "Space" - "SpaceX" --- # SpaceX’s Classified Military Satellites Emitting “Mysterious Signal” ![Some of SpaceX's classified military satellites are emitting a "mysterious signal" that could be violating international standards.]() *SpaceX / Futurism* SpaceX's classified military satellites are emitting a "mysterious signal" that could be violating international standards, [*NPR* reports](). Experts told the public broadcaster that the Elon Musk-led space company could be flouting international standards set by the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union. "Nearby satellites could receive radio-frequency interference and could perhaps not respond properly to commands — or ignore commands — from Earth," Canada-based amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, who [first spotted the signals](), told *NPR*. Tilley accidentally discovered the unusual radio frequencies, which are in the 2025-2110 MHz range and are being emitted by at least 170 of SpaceX's defense satellites. "It was just a clumsy move at the keyboard," he told *NPR*. "I was resetting some stuff and then all of a sudden I'm looking at the wrong antenna, the wrong band." The spectrum is usually reserved for sending data to orbiting satellites from Earth and shouldn't be used for transmitting data *from* space. Tilley's investigation into the unusual broadcasting led him to SpaceX's Starshield constellation of Starlink satellites, which is part of a [$1.8 billion contract]() with the Department of Defense. Apart from leveraging Starlink tech and "launch capability to support national security efforts," according to [SpaceX's website](), little is known about Starshield. Per the firm, the constellation provides "assured global communications to government users." SpaceX has [launched eleven batches]() of the secretive satellite since May 2024 on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office. In short, plenty of questions remain regarding the constellation. For one, we don't know why it's emitting signals in such an unusual radio frequency. We also don't know whether its transmissions could be interfering with other space-based assets. Tilley told *NPR* that it's unlikely to have done any damage so far, given the lack of any public complaints. However, given the contentiousness of the radio band, SpaceX might be aware it's crowding a forbidden frequency. "SpaceX is smart and savvy," he argued, suggesting the company chose a "do it and ask forgiveness later" approach. **More on Starshield:** [*Elon Musk’s Drug Use Means He Isn’t Allowed to Enter Certain SpaceX Buildings*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()