USSF Awards SpaceX $2.3 Billion Contract for Space Data Network

US Space Force Awards SpaceX $2.29 Billion Contract for Space Data Network Backbone

The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $2.29 billion contract to develop the Space Data Network (SDN) Backbone, a satellite communications architecture designed to provide secure, high-speed data transport for military operations worldwide.

The SDN Backbone will consist of a proliferated low Earth orbit satellite constellation connected through optical inter-satellite links. The network is intended to deliver resilient, low-latency communications and serve as a core data transport layer for future U.S. military space systems.

Under the agreement, SpaceX is expected to deliver a fully operational prototype by the end of 2027.

Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space-Based Sensing and Targeting, said the program combines commercial innovation with military requirements and will help ensure continuous, secure connectivity between operational systems.

The effort is part of the broader Space Data Network architecture being developed by the Space Force. To support the program, the service recently established the SDN Consortium, bringing together industry and government partners to address integration challenges and develop a unified network framework.

The SDN Backbone will operate alongside the Space Development Agency’s Transport Layer, with the two systems expected to form a hybrid mesh network capable of supporting current and future Department of Defense communications and data transport requirements.

Image Credits: SpaceX