Lockheed Martin CorporationGolden Dome program could lead to major contracts for missile defense systems.

The Pentagon aims to conduct the first tests for its futuristic space-based missile defense program by yearend, with flight demonstrations of the unproven technology slated for 2027, people familiar with the matter said. The key milestones are central to pioneering space-based missile interceptors, a pillar of President Donald Trump's $185 billion Golden Dome defense shield, and the administration has set aside $3.2 billion to develop prototypes of weaponized satellites to shoot down missiles, with potentially tens of billions of dollars in future contracts. The US Space Force is using an innovative acquisition strategy to attract both traditional and non-traditional vendors, a spokesperson said, adding that details around timelines and specific capabilities would not be released due to operational security. The program marks one of the most ambitious efforts to develop space-based missile defense since Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative during the Cold War, which was ultimately abandoned due to massive costs, technical challenges and lukewarm political support. Now, the Pentagon says the technology is needed more than ever to counter increasing threats from nuclear-armed nations like Russia and China.
Lockheed Martin CorporationGolden Dome program could lead to major contracts for missile defense systems.