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Monday 26 October 2026

SpaceX's access to Space Force tracking data draws fire

The Space Force gives SpaceX its most precise orbit tracking data in exchange for Starlink camera data. Rivals and watchdogs say it tilts the field.

Harper Quinn Monday 26 October 2026, open calendar6 min read

Photo: Emily Kenney, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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The US military has handed SpaceX something no other company gets on a routine basis: its most precise data on where things are in orbit. A fresh report on Sunday has turned a quiet contract into a loud argument about who controls traffic in space.

The large angled phased array radar building at Eglin in Florida, used by the US military to track objects in orbit — Photo: Emily Kenney, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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Harper Quinn Monday 26 October 2026 at 8:10 am Adelaide, open calendar6 min read

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