What is Starshield? A look at SpaceX's military satellite network

SpaceX operates two satellite networks: Starlink for commercial users and Starshield for national security customers. According to Space.com, Starlink has over 11,000 satellites serving users in more than 160 countries. Starshield, announced in December 2022, uses similar satellite buses but with additional secure hardware and software for government missions including Earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. The company has won multi-billion-dollar military contracts in 2026.

Starshield assets include spy satellites launched for the National Reconnaissance Office and a Space Data Network Backbone under a $2.29 billion Space Force contract, with a prototype due by the end of 2027. The networks can interoperate, but only for U.S. national security users. Control remains divided between government oversight and SpaceX operations, similar to contractor-operated military systems. Future NRO launches and the backbone prototype are expected, though details remain classified.

Source

What is Starshield? A look at SpaceX's military satellite network — Space.com