SpaceX is building a network of spy satellites for US intelligence. The success of SpaceX will enhance the United States' ability to quickly monitor potential targets anywhere in the world.
SpaceX's Starshield unit is responsible for building the satellite network under a $1.8 billion contract signed in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office. The plans reveal the extent of SpaceX's participation in American intelligence and military projects, and illustrate the significant investment made by the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) in low-Earth orbit satellite systems.