Overview

• Elon Musk's SpaceX, along with Palantir and Anduril, is a frontrunner to develop the 'custody layer' of the Golden Dome missile defense initiative.
• The proposed system includes 400–1,000 satellites for missile detection and tracking, with a separate fleet of 200 attack satellites designed by other contractors.
• SpaceX has pitched a subscription-based model, allowing the U.S. government to access the technology without owning it, raising concerns over long-term control and costs.
• The project, initiated by a January 27 executive order, is still in its early stages, with contract awards and system architecture subject to change.
• Over 180 companies have expressed interest in the initiative, which could cost hundreds of billions of dollars and aims to deploy initial capabilities by 2026.