SpaceX’s ascent from commercial launch provider to indispensable national security asset marks one of the most significant shifts in America’s defense industrial base in decades. As Elon Musk’s company extends its reach deeper into military space operations, traditional defense contractors are being forced to confront the reality that the Pentagon increasingly views SpaceX not merely as a supplier but as a transformative partner.

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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...