SpaceX Starshield

Starshield is a business unit of SpaceX creating purpose-built low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites designed to provide new military space capabilities to U.S. and allied governments.^[1][2][3][4] Starshield was adapted from the global communications network Starlink but brings additional capabilities such as target tracking, optical and radio reconnaissance, and early missile warning.^[5][6][7][8] Primary customers include the Space Development Agency (SDA), National Reconnaissance Office and the United States Space Force.^[5][9][10] As of 2025, at least 118 Starshield satellites have been launched, with the latest batch of 22 satellites being launched in January 2025 as part of NROL-167.^[11][12]

While SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell has indicated that there is little information she is allowed to disclose about Starshield, she has noted "very good collaboration" between the intelligence community and SpaceX on the program.^[1] The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports that future satellites in Starshield's participating SDA program may wield interceptor missiles, hypersonic projectiles, or directed energy weapons,^[8] with the program's founder^[6] adding "since Reagan’s day, technology has advanced enough that putting both sensors and shooters in space is not only possible but relatively easy."^[7] According to SDA director Derek Tournear, later satellites will take on the “extremely difficult” task of maintaining contact with missiles in flight.^[13]

The former four-star general Terrence O'Shaughnessy, who previously ran U.S. Northern Command, is the vice president for SpaceX's Special Programs Group who is thought to be involved with Starshield.^[1] The Wall Street Journal reported that Starshield's online job postings required people with top-secret clearances, as well as experience working with the Defense Department and intelligence community — such as representing Starshield to Pentagon combatant commands.^[1] For weapons manufacturing, eight senior Starshield leaders formed an additional company Castelion, to develop mass produced hypersonic strike weapons, potentially for use as space-based interceptors^[14][15]

The first satellites were designed for the SDA and outfitted with advanced infrared sensors meant to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.^[5] In 2021, Starshield had entered a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government, revealed in 2023,^[1] to construct hundreds of spy satellites for continuous real-time monitoring of targets around the globe.^[9] These began operations from May 2024, starting with NROL-146. These satellites are made in cooperation with Northrop Grumman.^[16]