The Pentagon taps Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to help decide what the military should do next

Musk’s SpaceX launches satellites for the U.S. government and operates a satellite network that supports national defense and security missions. Luckey’s defense tech company Anduril, meanwhile, creates autonomous military systems and drones and was recently awarded government contracts to produce long-range missiles, semi-autonomous fighter aircraft, and supply hardware and integration for the Army’s mobile intelligence system.  

The Trump administration has made advanced military technology a priority, in both development and purchasing, and has looked to Silicon Valley-approved companies to help make this happen. Critics could argue that putting Musk and Luckey on Project Meridian directly aligns with their business interests, since they would be trying to find solutions their companies already sell.