The Pentagon paid SpaceX $1.8 billion for a network of spy satellites

SpaceX some time ago introduced a military version of Starlink called Starshield. Now we know that before this was announced, he had concluded an exciting agreement with the US Department of Defense.

A network of spy satellites. According to the post ReutersSpaceX is building a network of hundreds of satellites for one of the country's five intelligence agencies, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

The National Reconnaissance Office neither confirms nor denies that it is Starshield, but admits to working on “the most capable, diverse, and resilient space intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system the world has ever seen.”

Starlink, but military. Unlike the CIA, the National Reconnaissance Office is an arm of the Pentagon. It is responsible for operating American reconnaissance satellites. With Starshield, it aims to “significantly improve” its ability to identify targets anywhere in the world. And do it quickly.

The Starshield network will operate as a swarm of interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit. Unlike Starlink, it will have the ability to capture images and will include military-grade encryption and anti-jamming methods.

The United States against China. SpaceX's contract with the NRO is worth $1.8 billion, according to the NRO Wall Street Journal. It's not a service. Star shield It will be owned directly by the United States governmentElon Musk explained. And this is not the only company's product that has piqued the Pentagon's interest: it also wants to control Starship for military missions.

While China is trying to close the gap with SpaceX by developing its own Starlink constellation and a giant spacecraft-like rocket, the US government is trying to expand it by funding indigenous technologies.

SpaceX has already launched dozens of Starshield prototypes, but neither Reuters nor the Wall Street Journal have said when the new network of spy satellites will be operational.

In Chataka | We knew the Pentagon had an interest in the spacecraft. He is now directly negotiating control of the missile