SpaceX wins $57 million U.S. military contract for satellite crosslink demo

WASHINGTON — The Space Systems Command, the U.S. Space Force’s acquisition arm, awarded SpaceX a $57 million contract to demonstrate satellite-to-satellite communications using Link-182, a radio-frequency data link standard the Space Force has adopted for its MILNET data relay network. MILNET is a planned constellation of Starshield communications satellites in low Earth orbit built by SpaceX.

The award, announced April 22, calls for the demonstration to be completed by April 2027. 

The contract announcement frames the effort broadly as supporting “U.S. warfighting capability” and does not mention Golden Dome. However, a September 2025 “broad agency announcement” solicitation from Space Systems Command specified that Link-182 would be the required space-to-space communications protocol for Golden Dome, Space-based interceptors would use Link-182 radios to connect into the MILNET relay layer and pass data across satellites in orbit rather than routing it through ground stations.

Golden Dome envisions a network of satellites, including space-based interceptors designed to detect and destroy missiles shortly after launch. Under that architecture, MILNET would serve as the communications backbone, linking interceptors with other satellites and command systems.

The solicitation specified the need for compact Link-182 capable radios operating in L- and S-band frequencies.

While SpaceX secured the initial demonstration contract, the Space Systems Command has signaled it does not intend to rely on a single supplier.

The 2025 solicitation indicated the government is looking to buy Link-182 radios at scale, potentially in large quantities, to support a future operational network.