WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are expected to make an announcement on the Golden Dome missile defense system on Tuesday.
The Pentagon’s recommendations for the Golden Dome will be announced, including a drafted architecture and implementation plan for the complex satellite system.
The potentially multibillion-dollar project aims to detect and destroy any missile before it reaches its intended target.
What is the Golden Dome?
Dig deeper:
Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack.
This includes detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target.
The plan is to build and launch 400 to up to more than 1,000 satellites to track the movement of missiles around the globe, sources told Reuters.
A fleet of 200 attack satellites armed with missiles or lasers would then eliminate any enemy projectiles.
FILE – U.S. President Donald Trump (L), joined by Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (C) and Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Mehmet Oz, points to posters on the Golden Dome missile defense system d
How much will it cost?
For the last several months, Pentagon planners have been developing options — which a U.S. official described as medium, high and “extra high” choices, based on their cost — that include space-based interceptors.
By the numbers:
The administration picked the “high” version, with an initial cost ranging between $30 billion and $100 billion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public.
The difference in the three versions is largely based on how many satellites and sensors in space would be purchased, and for the first time, space-based interceptors.
Who will build it?
The backstory:
Last month, sources told Reuters that the two frontrunners to build this massive project were Elon Musk’s SpaceX and another unnamed candidate.
SpaceX is teaming up with software maker Palantir and defense technology company Anduril for a joint bid, with all three of the companies having met with top officials in the Trump administration and the Pentagon to pitch their proposal, sources told Reuters at the time.
SpaceX is not anticipated to play a role in the weaponization of the satellites in this project, however.
The Pentagon has received interest from more than 180 companies to help build the project, a U.S. official told Reuters.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from reporting by The Associated Press, FOX News and Reuters. This story was reported from Los Angeles.