Space Force Awards Early Golden Dome Contracts

Initial recipients will serve as a steppingstone for contractors to compete for larger agreements that could be worth billions.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, December 02, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

U.S. President Donald Trump announces the Golden Dome missile defense project in May. [Credit: C-SPAN]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Space Force has awarded initial contracts to firms like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, and True Anomaly for the "Golden Dome" project, aiming to develop space-based interceptors (SBIs) to destroy enemy missiles in their boost phase.
Initial prototype contracts are modest, but lead to competition for significantly larger multi-billion dollar production contracts post-2028, with much of the development expected to be self-funded.
The project is shrouded in secrecy, with the Space Force declining to fully disclose awardees, and faces substantial cost uncertainties, with estimates ranging from billions to potentially trillions of dollars.
SpaceX is a key contender for the satellite "custody layer" and is proposing an unusual subscription model for government access, which has reportedly raised red flags within the Pentagon.

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The U.S. Space Force has reportedly selected a handful of private firms to build and test missile defense prototypes for the Pentagon and President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome effort.

Two sources told Reuters that Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, and startup True Anomaly are among the recipients of initial funding to develop space-based interceptors (SBIs) that are intended to destroy enemy missiles minutes after launch, during the boost phase. The funding will also cover control stations required to help the SBIs track and hit their targets. Both are key components of Golden Dome, which the Pentagon hopes will come online within three years.