SpaceX is reportedly working with at least one major US defense contractor, Northrop Grumman, on a constellation of spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office.
According to Reuters, development of the network of hundreds of spy satellites by SpaceX is being coordinated with multiple contractors to avoid putting too much control of a highly sensitive intelligence program in the hands of one company.
“It is in the government’s interest to not be totally invested in one company run by one person,” one of the news agency’s sources said, most likely referring to SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
The news agency first disclosed the existence of SpaceX’s contract with the National Reconnaissance Office, which is responsible for operating US spy satellites, in March.
This spysat constellation is considered to be “proliferated” because there will be swarms of satellites launched into low-Earth orbit to provide imaging and other capabilities, and these should be less vulnerable to enemy attack because of their large numbers.
More than a decade later, SpaceX launched the “Zuma” satellite, an ultra-expensive classified spacecraft valued in excess of $3 billion and built by Northrop for the National Reconnaissance Office.
The original article contains 614 words, the summary contains 189 words. Saved 69%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
SpaceX is reportedly working with at least one major US defense contractor, Northrop Grumman, on a constellation of spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office.
According to Reuters, development of the network of hundreds of spy satellites by SpaceX is being coordinated with multiple contractors to avoid putting too much control of a highly sensitive intelligence program in the hands of one company.
“It is in the government’s interest to not be totally invested in one company run by one person,” one of the news agency’s sources said, most likely referring to SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
The news agency first disclosed the existence of SpaceX’s contract with the National Reconnaissance Office, which is responsible for operating US spy satellites, in March.
This spysat constellation is considered to be “proliferated” because there will be swarms of satellites launched into low-Earth orbit to provide imaging and other capabilities, and these should be less vulnerable to enemy attack because of their large numbers.
More than a decade later, SpaceX launched the “Zuma” satellite, an ultra-expensive classified spacecraft valued in excess of $3 billion and built by Northrop for the National Reconnaissance Office.
The original article contains 614 words, the summary contains 189 words. Saved 69%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!