Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been awarded $2 billion by the U.S. government to develop satellites for the Golden Dome project, a defense initiative aimed at tracking missiles and aircraft. The funding, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act signed by President Donald J. Trump in July 2025, was initially unspecified but recently linked to SpaceX as the leading contractor.
The Golden Dome project, unveiled by Trump in May 2025, envisions a missile defense system integrating space-based sensors with ground radar and missiles. With a total budget of $175 billion, it could deploy up to 600 satellites. SpaceX is also expected to contribute to two additional Pentagon satellite projects: Milnet for military communications and a network for tracking ground vehicles.
Other companies, including Anduril Industries and Palantir, have also proposed technologies for the initiative. SpaceX, valued at $400 billion, has already launched over 10,000 satellites for its Starlink service, highlighting its expertise in satellite deployment. The contract signals a potential revival of ties between Musk and Trump, following a recent estrangement.
