$4.16B Space Force Contract Goes to SpaceX, X Report 30 May 2026
SpaceX wins a $4.16B US Space Force contract for an airborne threat tracking satellite network. Starlink holds 10,413 satellites in orbit, 10,397 working.
Launch Date
August 10, 2022
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC39A
Launch Vehicle
NORAD ID
53438
International Designator
2022-097BC
Epoch
Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:45:29 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
53.16°
Right Ascension
224.44°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
62.96°
Period
93.79 min
Mean Motion
15.35 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
STARLINK-4526
Alternative Name
Starlink 4526
Type
Status
Owner
SPXS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 53438U 22097BC 26201.32326049 .00005984 00000+0 18236-3 0 9991
2 53438 53.1601 224.4438 0001356 62.9611 297.1531 15.35394010218873
Source: Celestrak
Length
0.2
Diameter
2.8
Span
9
Dry Mass
275
Launch Mass
297
Shape
Box + pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
Starlink Group 4-26-51
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
SPXS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Starlink
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Krypton ion thrusters
Equipment
Ku/Ka-band payload, optical inter-satellite link
Power System
Solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
SpaceX wins a $4.16B US Space Force contract for an airborne threat tracking satellite network. Starlink holds 10,413 satellites in orbit, 10,397 working.
SpaceX reaches 600th Falcon 9 launch with Starlink 17-13 from Vandenberg. NASA SLS hydrogen leak repairs only partially successful. New book explores forces shaping space.
Today's highlights include defense sector investments, major military contracts with Rocket Lab, and a glimpse at new American Innovation dollar coins featuring space achievements.
Starcloud files FCC plans for 88,000-satellite orbital data center constellation, matching scale of Starlink and Amazon Kuiper expansions. Massive LEO conjunction risk implications.
Super heavy-lift rockets are the most powerful launch vehicles ever built. They can send humans and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. But what are they, and why are they so important?
NASA's Artemis II launches 4 astronauts on lunar flyby April 1. Soyuz-5 inaugural flight confirmed for April 3. Space warfare doctrines shift toward agentic AI for faster decision loops.
SpaceX addresses the cause of its recent Starship Flight 8 explosion, while successfully launching 23 more Starlink satellites as it continues to expand its constellation.
Today's brief covers new military space funding, intriguing scientific discoveries, and defense contracts impacting global military strategies.