SpaceX to Build Global Military Data Backbone in Space

The Space Force awarded SpaceX a $2.29B OTA contract to develop the Space Data Network Backbone, a network of optically interconnected low Earth orbit satellites (Starshield) that will transport military data in space and serve as the backhaul for the SDN architecture, integrating with the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer; the system aims for near-real-time sensor-to-shooter data across global networks and a fully operational prototype by the end of 2027, with an SDN consortium coordinating interoperability, though concerns have been raised about concentrating future satellite procurement with SpaceX.