US Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29 billion contract for military satellite network

The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a fixed‑price contract worth $2.29 billion to develop the Space Data Network (SDN) Backbone, a secure, high‑speed satellite communications system that will link military sensors and weapons platforms worldwide. The agreement requires a fully operational prototype by the end of 2027. Space Force Colonel Ryan Frazier said the SDN Backbone “leverages the best of commercial innovation and delivers a strong foundation for the SDN mission set – a huge benefit and enabler for our warfighters.”

The network will use a proliferated low‑Earth‑orbit (pLEO) satellite constellation to provide high‑capacity, low‑latency data transport, supporting missile‑warning, tracking and interceptor communications. The Pentagon plans to select additional contractors for satellite construction and related components over the summer.