No, civilian satellites with no military utility are no valid military targets; joining DARPA network though would make them valid targets.
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Related:
>> b. Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts: ii. Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, that is, objects which are not military objectives;
Don't be naive, in any peer-conflict between nations that could hit satellites, any civilian infrastructure is a valid military target. The only thing that holds either side back is fear of reciprocity. Power stations, merchant ships, radio stations, all of this stuff is "fair game" by the rules which actually matter. You think civilian satellites would be exempt from this, when they don't even have women and children on board? Please. All communication infrastructure, like power grids, are de facto duel use.
The US military has been buying the service of civilian communication satellites for as long as they have existed. This changes nothing.
>but the UN says...
US federal law says it will invade the Hague if the ICC, or any other international court the US doesn't choose to consent to, is used against US or allied personnel.
The "validity" of a target is determined solely by the military utility of attacking it Any other standard is a joke that goes straight out the window when a major war starts, and since you're talking about American/NATO satellites being hit, you're obviously talking about a major war. International laws don't keep American civilian infrastructure safe from attack; fear of what the American military will do to retaliate is what actually matters.
>> US federal law says it will invade the Hague if the ICC, or any other international court the US doesn't choose to consent to, is used against US or allied personnel.
Please cite the exact law and related text within it that states the US will invade the Hague based on an ICC action.
> The Space-BACN program aims to revolutionize the way space-based communications work by developing low-cost, high-speed reconfigurable optical datalinks to connect various low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations…and we’re looking for the best minds out there to help us make this a reality.
This system should be very, very safe, because run/expose a NASA or state satellite with the same “protocol” of a commercial satellite, could be very risky.
