Headline Roundup • February 20th, 2024
SpaceX's $1.8 Billion Classified Contract Deepens Company Ties With US Agencies
Summary from the AllSides News Team
SpaceX entered into a $1.8 billion classified contract with the United States government in 2021, the Wall Street Journal (Center bias) reported on Tuesday.
Details: The article cited “company documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal” to report that the company led by Elon Musk is expanding its operations with national-security customers through its “Starshield” satellite program. The report states that the $1.8 billion contract, the exact details of which are unknown, illustrates “a growing interdependence between SpaceX—a dominant force in the space industry—and the national-security establishment.” The report stated that the documents reviewed did not state the name of the government customer, but the money from the contract is “expected to become an important part of its revenue mix in the coming years,” according to the Wall Street Journal. SpaceX also won a $70 million in August 2023 to provide communication services to Pentagon partners.
Key Quote: The Wall Street Journal quoted SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell stating at an event last May, “I can say that there is very good collaboration between the intelligence community and SpaceX.”
How the Media Covered It: The initial findings from the Wall Street Journal were covered mildly by right-rated and center-rated outlets. AllSides was unable to find coverage from a left-rated outlet as of 5:00 P.M. CST Tuesday. Coverage of the contract noted reports from last week that Russia is developing technology that could potentially employ a nuclear detonation in space to disrupt or destroy a range of satellites.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Paul Hennessy/Anadolu (Getty Images)
Elon Musk’s company SpaceX reportedly has a $1.8 billion classified contract with an unnamed U.S. government agency, expanding its work with American intelligence and defense agencies.
Documents reported by The Wall Street Journal show the contract will eventually become a major part of the company’s revenue. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning.
SpaceX’s work with intelligence and defense agencies dates back to the company’s early days, when it won a launch contract with an unnamed U.S. intelligence agency in 2005.
In March 2022, thousands...
Gene Blevins/Zuma Press
SpaceX is deepening its ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies, winning at least one major classified contract and expanding a secretive company satellite program called Starshield for national-security customers.
The Elon Musk-led company entered into a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government in 2021, according to company documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. SpaceX said in the documents that funds from the contract were expected to become an important part of its revenue mix in the coming years. It didn’t disclose the name of the government...
Getty / Getty Images
Elon Musk's SpaceX is deepening its ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies through classified contracts ranging in the billions of dollars.
SpaceX has long been a major partner for the U.S. in launching military satellites, but documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal show the company entered into a massive $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government in 2021. SpaceX will not publicly clarify the government agency behind the contract.
SpaceX has also developed a branch of the company, Starshield, specifically to deal with government clients. The organization...
