The Race to Build Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Defense System Is On

During a press conference in the Oval Office late last month, US President Donald Trump doubled down on his plan to build a massive new missile defense system largely based in space he is calling the “Golden Dome.” In recent weeks, defense companies have begun vying for anticipated government contracts tied to the project, and three firms with deep connections to the White House—SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril—have been named as purported frontrunners. Trump ordered plans to be drawn up for the Golden Dome within days of returning to office in January, and he said in May that it would be operational by the end of his term in January 2029. But behind the scenes over the past few months, competing defense companies and industry experts have told WIRED the future of the project isn’t certain. They say it’s still unclear whether the missile shield could be constructed in space the way Trump wants and how many contracts will ultimately be awarded. Trump recently claimed that he had selected ... Read full article.