Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, won a contract of 149 million USD. The company will build missile-tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency.
The SpaceX company is going to create eight satellites that can detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles. The Space Development Agency made a contract with the company for 149 million USD.
In addition to that, the company got itself another contract by L3Harris Technologies for 193.5 million USD. The company will build four satellites for each of the clients. This is the first military contract of SpaceX.
Also, the SpaceX is an Aerospace manufacturer forward to reduce the space transportation cost for increasing colonization on Mars. The company is known for the production of reusable rockets and Astronaut capsules.
SpaceX Satellites
SpaceX company admitted that the satellites would be developed around infrared sensors. These sensors can track hypersonic missiles going around the earth. The company will produce eight satellites for each of the contract holders.
In addition to that, the Space Development Agency will launch the satellite as the first generation of the tracking layer. The satellite will track the missiles by hovering in the low Earth orbit.
However, SpaceX got the contract due to the launch of 60 Starlink satellites in the space. Recently, The company has delivered 13 batches of the startling satellites on this Tuesday. Due to bad weather this Tuesday, SpaceX was a bit doubtful to launch the starling satellite; but it was successful in the end.
Elon Musk’s company SpaceX has won a contract to build satellites for the U. S. Department of Defense, its first contract to build satellites for the military.https://t.co/kxqEZLvUnM pic.twitter.com/ZokcK66dvl
— Forbes Science (@ForbesScience) October 7, 2020
About that, the Starlink satellite is an Internet constellation that provides internet access to the whole world. Many Starlink satellites are covering in the lower orbit of the earth to provide proper internet connection via satellites.
The contract
SDA and L3Harris, have given 149 million USD and 193 million USD, respectively, to SpaceX. SpaceX has been launching the Starlink satellites to produce Mega constellation to fulfill their current ambition.
The SDA commented that Lockheed Martin and York space systems are developing the transport layer so that the satellites can interface with the tracking layer. Also, they said that the tracking layer would gather information and pass it on to the transport layer.
Although, the company will deliver the satellites by September 2022. The US military also commented that if the satellites are a success, they will also order up to 30 more of the tracking satellites.
In conclusion, SpaceX is looking forward to all the upcoming orders. Right now, the company has to produce eight satellites for L3Harris and SDA. The company is launching the Starlink satellites day by day to achieve more connectivity in space. This will increase the chances of their success.
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