Tech billionaire and DOGE chief Elon Musk is constantly under fire these days by the lunatic left, but on the real world, where relevant things are in motion, he continues to excel and thrive.
His SpaceX company is reported to be about to considerably expand its share of military business, as the Pentagon considers overhauling a program to deploy hundreds of missile-tracking satellites into low orbit.
Washington Post reported:
“Competitors have fallen so far behind SpaceX that many fear they won’t be able to catch up, leaving NASA and the Pentagon with few other options as it faces increased competition in space from China and other nations. Musk’s hard-charging company rakes in billions of dollars from the U.S. government, flying everything from cargo to astronauts to some of the Defense Department’s most sensitive satellites. The company also operates more than 7,000 Starlink internet satellites in orbit, more than any other entity.”
Space Force has planned on multiple contractors driving innovation, efficiency and obtaining lower prices.
SpaceX already operates a militarized version of its Starlink network known as Starshield, used by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies.
“In a statement, the Air Force and Space Force said they are working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense ‘to evaluate all acquisition programs’ at a time when the Trump administration is looking to cut the Pentagon’s budget by 8 percent so that the money can be used for new priorities. But the agencies said that ‘no decisions had been made’ regarding the satellite system, known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture program[…].
The Pentagon is expected to spend $35 billion on the missile-tracking system, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). It’s not clear whether the Pentagon is considering canceling the contracts awarded earlier to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, York Space Systems and Rocket Lab, or if it would restructure an upcoming solicitation.”
Large satellites are vulnerable to attack, so the Pentagon is opting for swarms of smaller satellites, hard to target and providing redundancy when they are.
The missile warning system is expected to have between 300 to 500 satellites in low Earth orbit.
“The Pentagon has moved to allow for greater competition in another multibillion program: launching the satellites it increasingly relies on for modern warfare operations like precision-guided munitions, reconnaissance and communication.
To allow more companies to vie for the contracts, the Pentagon created two ‘lanes’ of launch competitions. Lane 1 would allow new entrants to bid on individual contracts to launch satellites that are smaller and not as vital; Lane 2 would be reserved for more powerful and proven rockets that would hoist satellites that cannot risk failure.”
SpaceX won the majority of the lane 2 contracts that run through 2029.
The Pentagon is expected to increasingly go with SpaceX since the Falcon 9 rocket is one the of the most reliable in history.
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