SpaceX is developing hundreds of spy satellites for the Pentagon as part of a classified $1.8 billion defense contract deal signed with the Elon Musk company in 2021, according to Reuters.
The project furthers the government’s reliance on the tech billionaire.
The contract is with the Pentagon’s National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the exact number of satellites involved in the Starshield program remains unknown.
The Starshield satellites have Earth-imaging capabilities, enhancing US intelligence and military capabilities through rapid target detection worldwide.
Since 2020, approximately a dozen such prototypes have reportedly been launched.
SpaceX’s previous collaborations with the Department of Defense (DOD) include using its Falcon 9 rockets to launch military payloads into space.
The DOD also bought an unspecified number of Stalink terminals last year to provide internet services in Ukraine as Kyiv continues to defend itself against Russia.
Overall, the new project further solidifies SpaceX’s relationship with the American defense system and its position as a key player in the space industry.
The initiative also reflects escalating competition among global powers, notably China and Russia, to dominate space militarization efforts.