Musk’s SpaceX may design Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system

Elon Musk’s SpaceX, working with software maker Palantir and drone builder Anduril, has jumped to the front of the race to supply the satellite backbone for President Donald Trump’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense.

The three firms, each started by entrepreneurs who helped fund Trump’s campaigns, met senior White House and Pentagon officials in recent weeks. 

Their pitch: launch 400 to more than 1,000 satellites that would spot missile launches, track their flight, and decide if they threaten the United States. Three sources said a separate fleet of about 200 attack satellites would knock hostile weapons out of the sky. 

Those sources added that SpaceX would not be the one working on the weaponization of the satellites .

Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order called a missile strike “the most catastrophic threat facing the United States.” The order set Golden Dome in motion and drew interest from more than 180 companies, a U.S. official said.

SpaceX is bidding for the “custody layer,” which does the detection and tracking. Two sources said the company estimates early engineering and design at $6 billion to $10 billion. 

Over the past five years, SpaceX has put hundreds of reconnaissance satellites into orbit and flown several prototypes that could be refitted for Golden Dome, giving it a possible edge.

One person briefed on the meetings called the effort “a departure from the usual acquisition process. There’s an attitude that the national security and defense community has to be sensitive and deferential to Elon Musk because of his role in the government.”

SpaceX is proposing a subscription to the missile defense system

SpaceX also proposed an unusual business model: selling the constellation as a subscription service. Instead of owning the hardware, the government would pay for access. Two sources said that we could skip some procurement steps and bring the system online sooner. They added that it would not violate rules, but it could lock Washington into recurring fees and lessen control over upgrades and prices.

Inside the Pentagon, some officers worry about relying on a subscription for a critical shield, two sources told Reuters. Such arrangements are rare in programs of this size.

Analysts think Golden Dome’s total cost could climb into the hundreds of billions of dollars once all layers—tracking, command, control, and interception—are counted. The Defense Department wants initial capability by early 2026 and full coverage after 2030.

SpaceX’s main strength is the availability of assets

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets fly almost every week, and its assembly lines already turn out satellites by the dozen. People close to the bid say those assets could shift to Golden Dome quickly, giving the program a head start others cannot match.

Sources said Palantir would supply software to merge satellite data into real‑time missile tracks, while Anduril would provide autonomous systems based on its drone work.

The Pentagon has split Golden Dome into layers: custody to watch missiles, transport to relay data, and an engagement layer to destroy threats. SpaceX’s bid focuses on the system’s eyes and brain, leaving the disabling of missiles to later contracts. 

A Defense Department official said planners want “persistent, global coverage that can see dim targets against bright clouds” and are pushing the industry to combine commercial speed with military safeguards.

The Pentagon has yet to choose contractors, and reviews continue. However, with existing rockets, an established satellite fleet, and close ties to the administration, SpaceX and its partners are very likely to get the deal.

Whether defense leaders accept the subscription idea may be the next hurdle. Officials must weigh rapid deployment against long‑term control in one of the largest military projects in decades.

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