Overview
- Speaking at Blue Origin’s Merritt Island rocket factory alongside Jeff Bezos, Hegseth cast commercial space firms as central to a procurement overhaul.
- He rebuked traditional defense contractors for delays and shareholder payouts, promising tougher accountability and more chances for faster-moving providers.
- He tied the push to the proposed Golden Dome missile defense concept that would rely on space-based sensors and interceptors.
- The visit follows a Jan. 12 stop at SpaceX where he said the Pentagon will integrate X’s Grok chatbot into internal systems.
- Recent awards highlight the stakes, including $739 million to SpaceX for missile warning and tracking, a $5.9 billion Space Force launch deal through 2029, and $2.3 billion for Blue Origin, as watchdogs warn of conflict-of-interest risks.