Overview

• After a 60-day deadline, Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein said the plan is finished, but the Pentagon says it is under review and is not releasing details on scope, timeline, or cost.
• The White House has cited a $175 billion price tag, while an American Enterprise Institute analysis estimates $252 billion to about $3.6 trillion through 2045 and the Congressional Budget Office pegs $542 billion to $831 billion.
• The initiative envisions hundreds of space-based interceptors meant to detect and defeat ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, with the administration targeting initial operation by 2028.
• Scientists and defense analysts question whether the unproven technologies can be fielded on the accelerated schedule, pointing to past politically driven programs that faltered, as highlighted by an American Physical Society report.
• Coverage notes the projected spending would far exceed the inflation-adjusted cost of the Manhattan Project, underscoring the program’s potential scale.