US Space Force confirms SpaceX will build sensor-to-shooter targeting network

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The US Space Force has confirmed a $2.29 billion contract that gives SpaceX responsibility for the Space Data Network backbone. The program will use SpaceX technology derived from Starlink and Starshield to move sensing and targeting data across a resilient low-Earth-orbit communications network. The decision shifts the military away from the broader multi-contractor Space Development Agency model and toward a more centralized architecture. The Space Force says it still wants multiple vendors involved over time, but SpaceX must deliver a fully operational prototype capability by the end of 2027.

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