Trump eyes SpaceX alternative, says Reuters

According to the outlet, the cost of the program has already surged to $175 billion - significantly higher than the initial estimates, which were six to seven times lower.

Reuters notes that Amazon, through its Kuiper satellite network, and major defense contractors may join the project. Lesser-known players such as Stoke Space and Rocket Lab are also under consideration. Despite the tensions, SpaceX has not been fully ruled out. Even before the conflict with Musk, the White House expressed concern over excessive reliance on a single contractor, prompting an early search for alternatives.

Trump introduced the Golden Dome project in March. It aims to develop a next-generation missile defense system using satellites, sea-based, and land-based interceptors. The President has stated he wants the system operational before the end of his term in January 2029.

The project will be led by General Michael Guetlein, deputy chief of the US Space Operations Command.

Trump has repeatedly emphasized that the missile defense system will be 100% made in America and will become the backbone of the country’s future defense.

What we know about Golden Dome

Golden Dome is an ambitious US defense initiative aimed at building a space-based missile detection and interception system designed to neutralize enemy rockets in the earliest phase of their flight.

The concept involves deploying hundreds of sensor satellites for constant surveillance, along with orbital combat satellites equipped with lasers or missile systems to intercept threats mid-air.

According to Reuters, the network may consist of 400 to 1,000 detection satellites and around 200 interceptor satellites capable of striking missiles in flight.

This system is expected to offer 24/7 global coverage and eliminate threats at the initial stage.

Unlike Israel's Iron Dome, which is designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells, America’s Golden Dome targets long-range, intercontinental missile threats.

Companies reportedly in contention for participation include Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril. SpaceX would not develop the weapons themselves, but rather focus on the technical infrastructure, such as satellite launch and deployment.

Back in January, Trump signed a series of executive orders, one of which called for a missile defense system to protect the US. Initially named Iron Dome, the project was later rebranded as Golden Dome.

In March, CNN reported that the US was urgently developing a Golden Dome missile defense system against long-range missiles. The Trump administration has shown no hesitation in funding the program.

By May, Trump officially announced the system’s cost at $175 billion and approved the first round of funding.