According to a report by Reuters on July 29th, the U.S. Space Force announced in a statement that American space exploration technology company SpaceX has received a contract worth $1.6 billion. Under this contract, SpaceX will carry out 18 Falcon 9 rocket launches by the end of 2027, using these rockets to send U.S. satellites into orbit for the detection and tracking of aerial targets.
US Space Force officials Eric Zarbniski stated that the contract awarded to SpaceX is a "first-of-its-kind two-month procurement cycle."
In May of this year, the U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a contract worth $6.5 billion, which includes a contract for an airborne mobile target guidance satellite network worth $4.16 billion, and a military communication satellite contract worth $2.29 billion.
Reuters pointed out that in the competition for commercial contracts at the Pentagon, SpaceX has always maintained an absolute advantage. Some American lawmakers are concerned that the U.S. Department of Defense may rely too heavily on a single supplier. However, officials from the U.S. Space Force say they hope to stimulate domestic aerospace industry activities and competition.
