NewsInside the race for America's space-based missile shield

Inside the race for America's space-based missile shield

SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril are the main candidates for building the Golden Dome air defence system. The project aims to protect the United States from missile attacks. What are the details of this endeavour?

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, an American aerospace company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, is involved in the construction of rocket engines, launch vehicles, and spacecraft.
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, an American aerospace company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, is involved in the construction of rocket engines, launch vehicles, and spacecraft.
Images source: © Flickr
Barbara Kwiatkowska

What do you need to know?

  • SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril are the frontrunners for building the Golden Dome air defence system, which aims to protect the United States from missile attacks.
  • The project involves placing between 400 and 1000 satellites in orbit to detect missiles and 200 satellites armed with missiles and lasers.
  • The project's cost could reach hundreds of billions of dollars, and the preliminary engineering and design work for the satellites' protective layer is estimated at $8 to $14 billion CAD.

What are the plans of SpaceX and its partners?

SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril, companies supported by former President Donald Trump, are leading the race to build the Golden Dome. This project aims to create an air defence system similar to Israel's Iron Dome system. Plans include placing hundreds of satellites in orbit to detect and track missiles, as well as 200 satellites armed with missiles and lasers to neutralize threats.

Can SpaceX accomplish the project?

Despite positive signals, the decision-making process regarding the Golden Dome is still in its early stages. SpaceX and its partners have met with top U.S. administration officials to present their plans. Some experts express doubts about whether SpaceX will be able to create a cost-effective national defence system.

What are the costs and challenges of the project?

The cost of the Golden Dome could reach hundreds of billions of dollars. SpaceX has estimated that the preliminary engineering and design work for the satellites' protective layer will cost between $6 and $10 billion USD ($8 and $14 billion CAD).

Musk's company already has experience in launching satellites, which may speed up the project's execution. However, the subscription model proposed by SpaceX might raise concerns, as the government would not have full control over the system.

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