SpaceX has landed a $2.29 billion contract with the U.S. Space Force to build a satellite network for military communications and the Trump-era 'Golden Dome' missile defense system. The deal, announced Tuesday, is the largest military satellite contract in the company’s history and comes weeks before SpaceX plans its initial public offering, potentially the largest IPO ever. The work will be handled by SpaceX subsidiary Starlink, which already operates Starshield, a secure network for government and military use. Starlink’s current satellite internet service is its primary revenue source, but the new contract could expand its role in national defense. The contract includes developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide secure global connectivity for data and communications. An operational prototype is expected by the end of 2025. The program, called the Space Data Network Backbone, will serve as a 'core communications layer' for the Space Force’s systems, according to Col. Ryan Frazier of the Space Force. 'Ensuring our sensors and shooters are connected continuously, globally and securely' is the goal, Frazier said in a statement. The Space Force began discussing the program in 2024, and Gen. Michael Guetlein, the Golden Dome program lead, mentioned the project in March. SpaceX’s Starlink has already launched 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in late 2023, a site critical to the company’s operations. The contract’s timing is notable as SpaceX faces pressure to prove its viability as a public company, with its future hinging on the Starship project’s progress. The IPO, expected to be led from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas, could value the company at over $100 billion. Local officials in Brevard County, home to Cape Canaveral, have long emphasized the economic impact of SpaceX’s operations, though specifics about the new contract’s local job creation or investment remain unclear. The deal underscores the growing role of private companies in national defense and space exploration, a shift that has accelerated under the Trump administration’s push for military space capabilities. SpaceX’s ability to deliver on this contract may be a key factor in its IPO’s success, as investors weigh the company’s technical challenges against its potential for growth.