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SpaceX has been contracted by the Department of Defense\u2019s National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to build a network of hundreds of low-orbiting spy satellites capable of operating as a swarm and tracking targets on the ground, according to <\/em><\/a>. The Reuters<\/em> report, which cites five sources with knowledge of the program, builds on earlier reporting by <\/em><\/a> that revealed SpaceX had signed a $1.8 billion contract in 2021 with an unnamed agency.<\/p>\n This network, called Starshield, would reportedly be able to gather continuous imagery all over Earth for US intelligence, using a mix of large imaging satellites to collect data and relay satellites to transmit information. According to one source who spoke to Reuters<\/em>, it has the potential to make it so \u201cno one can hide.\u201d Neither SpaceX nor the NRO directly confirmed the company\u2019s involvement in the project, but an NRO spokesperson told Reuters<\/em>, “The National Reconnaissance Office is developing the most capable, diverse, and resilient space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system the world has ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n Last fall, it was reported that SpaceX had <\/a> to provide satellite communications under its Starshield program. This is a distinct entity from SpaceX\u2019s Starlink constellation, at least according to <\/a>, who has said Starlink \u201cneeds to be a civilian network,\u201d whereas Starshield is meant to be used for government and national security purposes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n