The U.S. Space Force has agreed to a $2.29 billion contract with SpaceX to build a high-speed satellite communications network to connect military sensors and weapons platforms across the globe, the service said on May 26.
The fixed-price nontraditional contracting agreement covers the Space Data Network (SDN) Backbone, a resilient network architecture that provides high-capacity, low-latency data transport for the military.
Among other roles, the SDN will provide communication pathways to integrate and move data from missile-warning and tracking sensors to interceptors in near real time, a capability seen as foundational to the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative.
The Space Force said the vendor must deliver a fully operational prototype capability by the end of 2027….