SpaceX likes to think big. The aerospace company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk has one overriding goal: driving down the cost of spaceflight in pursuit of its dream of colonizing Mars. The whole business rests on three pillars: reusable rockets, space transport via the Dragon capsules, and satellite internet through the Starlink constellation.
In the past few hours, a new deal has been announced that aims to speed up this already rapid development. SpaceX has signed a contract with the Space Force to launch a full 18 satellites by the end of 2027. All of them will fly aboard the reusable Falcon 9 rocket, lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The details of the project
The new agreement between the Space Force and SpaceX is designed to carry Pentagon satellites dedicated to detecting and tracking airborne threats and objects. It all falls under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, now in its Phase 3, Lane 1. Colonel Eric Zarybnisky addressed it in the announcement:
«Detecting and identifying flying objects from space and providing near-real-time communications to all joint forces are vital to the defense of our nation.»
These new launch contracts with SpaceX follow an announcement earlier in the month, in which the Space Force projected that demand for Lane 1 launches would triple over the next few years, rising from 60 to 170 missions.
To qualify for a mission, a bidding company must have a rocket that has already flown or a concrete plan to launch one. Alongside SpaceX, the two other eligible candidates today are United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.
Other deals between SpaceX and the Space Force
The latest $1.6 billion agreement is not the only one between SpaceX and the Space Force. The collaboration between the two aerospace players continues, with billion-dollar contracts aimed at completing the various planned missions as quickly as possible.
At the end of May 2026, the two signed the Space Data Network Backbone, worth $2.29 billion, which calls for building a secure, high-speed satellite communications network in low Earth orbit, drawing on Starlink and its military variant, Starshield. The deadline for the first operational prototypes is set for 2027.
Also in May of this year, a $4.16 billion deal was reached for airborne threat detection, covering the development of a constellation of advanced space sensors designed to track moving targets worldwide by 2028.
Editor’s note
This article was originally published in Italian on money.it by Pasquale Conte on July 30, 2026 as «SpaceX accelera il progetto Falcon 9 e si prepara a investire 1,6 miliardi». It has been translated and adapted for an international audience by the Money.it International desk.
