A U.S. spy agency contracted SpaceX to create a group of secret satellites for $1.8 billion. This confirms rumors that Elon Musk‘s company is working more closely with the U.S. government. There’s also talk that Russia might be using SpaceX’s Starlink satellites unlawfully in the Ukraine conflict.
Key Facts
- In 2021, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) agreed to a contract with SpaceX’s Starshield program to develop many spy satellites, as reported by Reuters on Saturday. The sources cited were anonymous individuals familiar with the program.
- These satellites are designed with Earth-imaging capabilities and are planned to operate collectively in low orbit, allowing the U.S. to monitor ground targets and exchange data with intelligence and military personnel, as mentioned by the sources.
- According to some sources, approximately twelve prototype satellites have been launched since 2020.
- The NRO acknowledged to Reuters that they are working on a satellite system in collaboration with various government agencies, private companies, research institutions, and other nations. However, they did not confirm the involvement of SpaceX in the project.
- Neither the NRO nor SpaceX has responded immediately to requests for comment on the matter.
What We Don’t Know
We don’t know how many satellites SpaceX is creating for the RCO or which other companies are part of the Starshield program.
Key Background
Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX had entered into a contract with a U.S. intelligence agency in 2021, although the specific details of the agreement were not disclosed. Internal company documents indicated that SpaceX was working on a satellite program called Starshield, aimed at supporting national security efforts. According to SpaceX’s website, Starshield is being developed for “government use,” with a focus on Earth observation, global communications, and various customer payload missions. Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, mentioned last year that there was strong collaboration between the company and the intelligence community. Reuters also reported that the Defense Department has previously utilized SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets to deploy military payloads into space.
Tangent
Earlier this month, a pair of House Democrats, Representatives Jamie Raskin from Maryland and Robert Garcia from California, announced an investigation into SpaceX regarding Russia’s purported use of the company’s Starlink internet terminals in the conflict with Ukraine. In a letter addressed to SpaceX, Raskin and Garcia expressed concerns about the lack of “appropriate guardrails and policies” to prevent Russia from accessing Starlink’s internet service. They mentioned that the investigation would involve the Pentagon and other government agencies. Despite claims from Ukraine’s intelligence agency, SpaceX and Elon Musk have denied allegations that Starlink terminals were sold to Russia, dismissing such reports as “categorically false.” The investigation stems from allegations that Starlink terminals were being used by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, as suggested by intercepted radio conversations.
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