US plans to add SpaceX’s Starshield for future military SATCOM

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) plans to add over 100 of SpaceX’s Starshield satellites to its satellite communications (SATCOM) network by 2029.

This reflects a shift toward using smaller, low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

Starshield: Enhanced security for military use

Starshield, a specialized version of SpaceX’s Starlink, features enhanced security. Unlike Starlink, Starshield satellites will be owned and managed by the U.S. government.

Col. Eric Felt, director of space architecture, emphasized the U.S. military’s interest in a government-owned constellation, pending congressional funding.

Growing demand for Starlink services

U.S. military demand for SpaceX’s services is growing. Clare Hopper, head of the Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO), noted the rapid use of a $900 million, 10-year contract for LEO satellite services, leading to discussions to increase the contract budget.

Future integration, compatibility

The Starshield architecture’s numerous small satellites provide widespread coverage and increased resilience compared to traditional geostationary satellites.

Col. Felt highlighted the importance of diversifying the LEO architecture with more Starshield satellites and exploring new commercial services.

Although U.S. DoD users do not yet have access to dedicated Starshield satellites, plans are underway to work out procurement details once funding is approved. SpaceX is also supplying Starshield satellites with imaging payloads to the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for surveillance, while DoD’s Starshield satellites will focus on communications.