SpaceX to Build Classified Spy Satellite Network for U.S. Intelligence

Under a $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office, SpaceX's Starshield unit will create a vast network of spy satellites aimed at enhancing global surveillance.

SpaceX, under a classified contract worth $1.8 billion with the National Reconnaissance Office, is developing a network of hundreds of spy satellites.
The Starshield network is designed to provide rapid, pervasive coverage of activities on Earth, significantly enhancing U.S. intelligence and military capabilities.
The project illustrates deepening ties between Elon Musk's SpaceX and U.S. national security agencies, amid concerns over Musk's past actions in Ukraine.
Several prototype satellites for the Starshield network have already been launched, indicating progress in the secretive program.
The initiative reflects intensifying U.S.-China competition for dominance in military space capabilities, with both nations developing vast, low-orbit satellite networks.