The US Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $US2.29 billion ($A3.19 billion) contract to build a secure, high-speed satellite communications network to connect military sensors and weapons platforms across the globe.
The fixed-price non-traditional contracting agreement covers the Space Data Network (SDN) Backbone, a resilient network architecture providing high-capacity and low-latency data transport for the military.
Space Force said the vendor must deliver a fully operational prototype capability by the end of 2027.