The US Department of Defense is building a satellite data network for its Golden Dome missile defense project. For this, they signed a contract with SpaceX, which is a leader in providing global high-speed satellite communications.
As part of the agreement, SpaceX received 2,29 billion dollars to build a secure high-speed satellite communications network, which will connect military sensors and combat platforms around the world. A fixed-cost contract involves building an SDN backbone. This resilient space network ensures high-speed, low-latency data transmission for the military. The US Space Force said, that the supplier must provide a fully functional prototype to completion 2027 year. Within defense functions, SDN will create communication channels to integrate real-time warning sensors and interceptors. This element is considered key to the implementation of Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative.
As defined by the Pentagon, SDN is a large-scale low-orbit constellation, which expands the satellite infrastructure to ensure seamless communications around the world. It will work together with the transport layer of the Space Development Agency, forming a unified architecture to enable mission-critical data migration for current and future DoD missions.
The space forces reported, that plan to identify additional contractors for the construction of satellites and other elements of the network during the summer.
Source: https://www.reuters.com