Anadolu staff
15 June 2026•Update: 15 June 2026
China's military newspaper has warned that cooperation between Elon Musk's SpaceX and the US Space Force is accelerating the militarization of outer space and could trigger a new arms race in orbit, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
In a commentary cited by the Hong Kong-based newspaper, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily said recent US efforts to expand military space capabilities reflected a growing trend toward treating space as a warfighting domain.
The article highlighted SpaceX's role in supporting US military space programs and expressed concern over the integration of commercial satellite networks into defense operations.
Last month, SpaceX received a $2.29 billion contract from the US Space Force to build a secure, high-speed satellite communications network connecting military sensors and weapons platforms across the globe.
The warning came amid growing scrutiny in China of Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet constellation, and the company's defense-focused Starshield division, which provides secure communications and other services to US government and military customers.
PLA Daily linked the developments to broader US initiatives, including the Space Force's expanding role in missile defense and space-based surveillance systems, arguing that such programs risk undermining strategic stability and international arms control efforts.
SpaceX formally deepened its partnership with the US Space Force in September 2023, when its Starshield unit received a one-year contract under the military's Proliferated Low Earth Orbit program to provide customized satellite communications services for US armed forces and other government agencies.
The agreement supports dozens of military mission partners across multiple branches of the US armed forces.
The concerns voiced by the Chinese military newspaper come as Washington continues to invest heavily in space-based defense capabilities, including satellite networks designed for missile tracking, threat detection and secure military communications.
