WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on July 16 launched 21 satellites for the Space Force’s Space Development Agency, restarting deployment of the Pentagon’s first operational low Earth orbit military data network after a months-long pause.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...