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Golden Dome Expands Beyond SpaceX as Guetlein Takes Helm

Gen. Michael Guetlein begins rapid design and implementation planning under strict deadlines with officials courting Amazon’s Project Kuiper alongside traditional defense firms to reduce reliance on SpaceX

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Elon Musk speaks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and guests at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship, in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024 . Brandon Bell/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
3D printed miniatures of U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and SpaceX logo are seen in this illustration taken July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Overview

  • Gen. Michael Guetlein was unanimously confirmed to lead Golden Dome and must build his team in 30 days, draft an initial system design in 60 days, and present a full implementation plan in 120 days.
  • Congress has committed $24.4 billion through the One Big, Beautiful Bill and an additional $13 billion via the Department of Defense appropriations act to jumpstart the program.
  • Officials have approached Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Stoke Space, Rocket Lab, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris to diversify satellite production and launch services.
  • The pivot reduces dependence on SpaceX after tensions between President Trump and Elon Musk underscored the risks of relying on a single provider.
  • Analysts warn that integrating commercial constellations will demand stringent cyber resilience measures and electronic warfare hardening to secure the shield.