Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been granted a $4.16B deal by the US Space Force for its space-based airborne ‌moving ​target ​indicator ​program. The $4.16 billion agreement is meant to boost the delivery timeline of a “space-based sensing layer” as part of the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator, or SB-AMTI, project, according to a Friday Space Systems Command release.

“By focusing these capabilities to the space domain, we are providing the Joint Force with sustained battlespace awareness of contested airspace,” Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for Space Based Sensing & Targeting, said in the release. According to the Space Force, the contract is projected to field a constellation of satellites to assist the Joint Force in eliminating operational blind spots by 2028.

The award comes days after the Space Force selected SpaceX for a separate $2.29 billion contract to build the Space Data Network backbone, a mesh communications constellation intended to move data across military satellite networks. Together, the awards give SpaceX a central role in two key elements of the Pentagon’s emerging space architecture: sensing and communications. Although the Air Force is not preparing to retire its airborne surveillance fleets, military officials increasingly view space-based systems as a necessary complement to aircraft such as the E-3 AWACS and E-7 Wedgetail.

Furthermore, SpaceX is heading for an IPO sometime this year, and this deal makes the IPO look far more attractive. Space stocks have become a hot commodity in the past year as the US government looks to get ahead in the Space race. While the explosion of the Blue Origin rocket Thursday night may set things back, SpaceX in particular seems to be reaping a benefit.