Alexander Lewis
Mar 18, 2024
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) of the Department of Defense of the United States has enlisted SpaceX to develop a vast array of spy satellites, named Starshield, according to a Reuters report, citing five informed sources.
These low-earth orbit satellites are designed to operate collectively, tracking ground targets with unprecedented precision. This initiative aligns with a 2021 agreement, previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, involving SpaceX and an undisclosed agency, valued at $1.8 billion.
Starshield aims to enable uninterrupted global surveillance for US intelligence. It plans to use a combination of advanced imaging satellites for data collection and dedicated relay satellites for information transmission.
A source familiar with the project suggested to Reuters that this network could significantly reduce the ability of targets to evade detection. While SpaceX and the NRO have not officially confirmed their partnership in Starshield, an NRO representative emphasised the agency's commitment to creating a highly capable, diverse, and resilient space-based intelligence and reconnaissance system.
In a related development last autumn, SpaceX secured a $70 million contract from the Space Force for satellite communication services under the Starshield umbrella. Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO, has clarified that Starshield and SpaceX's civilian Starlink constellation are separate entities. He emphasised that while Starlink is designed as a civilian network, Starshield is specifically intended for governmental and national security use.
