WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is increasing its projected spending on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet services more than tenfold, res

Pentagon’s commercial satellite internet services program soars to $13 billion

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2024-10-31 03:30:10

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is increasing its projected spending on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet services more than tenfold, responding to surging demand from across the military, SpaceNews has learned.

The military’s Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) Satellite-Based Services program, launched just last year with a $900 million ceiling, has been expanded to $13 billion by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Space Systems Command, a spokesperson confirmed.

The dramatic jump in funding underscores how vital high-speed satellite internet has become for military operations, as all branches clamor for the capabilities provided by services like SpaceX’s Starlink. The PLEO contract also is being expanded in anticipation of Amazon’s Project Kuiper entering the LEO internet market in the coming years.

The PLEO program is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract managed by DISA and the Space Systems Command’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office. The program so far selected 20 vendors to compete for specific task orders over a five-year base period with an option for an additional five years.