Story perspectives

Space Force Awards SpaceX $2.29 B Starshield Backbone

5/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $2.29 billion contract for the Starshield variant of the Space Data Network Backbone.
The contract requires a prototype to be launched by the end of 2027.
The backbone will provide high-capacity backhaul linking sensors, command systems and weapons platforms worldwide.
It also adds Transport satellites and an SDN consortium to coordinate standards, supporting the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile-defense program after a $10 billion budget increase.

History

Historical Context

In August 2010 the United States Space Force began replacing the Milstar constellation with the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system, a six-satellite geostationary network that provides jam-resistant global communications. After the final AEHF satellite launched on 26 March 2020, the service proved its resilience, leading the Space Force to award SpaceX a Starshield contract to extend satellite-based networking by 2027.

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Story summary

The U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $2.29 billion contract for the Starshield variant of the Space Data Network Backbone.
The contract requires a prototype to be launched by the end of 2027.
The backbone will provide high-capacity backhaul linking sensors, command systems and weapons platforms worldwide.
It also adds Transport satellites and an SDN consortium to coordinate standards, supporting the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile-defense program after a $10 billion budget increase.

1 / 2