The U.S. Space Force has allocated contracts valued at up to $3.2 billion to 12 firms to advance development of weapons intended to intercept missile threats from orbit, officials said. The awards, made in late 2025 and early 2026, form part of an effort to add space-based capabilities to the nation’s missile-defence architecture under the Golden Dome program.
Space Systems Command issued a total of 20 agreements focused on space-based interceptors - systems designed to be deployed in orbit to detect, track and engage missiles earlier in their flight trajectories. Named contractors include SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Anduril among others, reflecting a wide vendor base tapped to develop elements of the capability.
Space-based interceptors shift the point of engagement from terrestrial locations to space, enabling the U.S. military to attempt neutralization of threats shortly after launch rather than relying solely on ground-based systems. The Golden Dome plan itself contemplates a broad expansion of ground-based defenses - including interceptor missiles, sensors and command-and-control infrastructure - while integrating space-based assets such as advanced satellite networks and orbital weaponry.
The overall Golden Dome program is expected to carry a projected cost of $185 billion. The Space Force said the contract structure was intended to preserve government flexibility so that awards can be made to those providers judged to be best suited for specific development tasks.
Officials have set a target of demonstrating an integrated space-based capability within the Golden Dome architecture by 2028. The 20 agreements issued by Space Systems Command are part of an incremental approach to proving the concept and advancing multiple technical pathways in parallel.
Context and implications - These initial awards position multiple defense and aerospace firms to contribute technologies for early-intercept architectures. The approach favors parallel development and options-based contracting in order to compare competing solutions and preserve acquisition flexibility.
What remains limited in the public record - Specific technical timelines, per-contract award sizes and detailed performance requirements were not disclosed in the announcement cited by the Space Force.