Elon Musk's SpaceX and two of its partners have emerged as favorites in the race for a crucial part of the Golden Dome missile defense project, which was previously announced by US President Donald Trump.
As Reuters reports, citing six different sources, SpaceX is already working with software maker Palantir and drone maker Anduril in a tender to build key parts for the Golden Dome.
According to sources, this has sparked significant interest from some of the defense technology startups. As is known, all three companies were founded by businessmen - the main political supporters of Donald Trump.
"Despite the Pentagon's positive signals to the SpaceX group, some sources stressed the decision process for Trump's Golden Dome is in its early stages. Its ultimate structure and who is selected to work on it could change dramatically in the coming months," the publication noted.
It is noted that in recent weeks, the three companies have met with senior officials in the Trump administration and the Pentagon to present their plan, which involves creating and launching from 400 to more than 1,000 satellites that will orbit the globe to identify missiles and track their movements.
A separate fleet of 200 strike satellites armed with missiles or lasers is expected to be able to shoot down enemy missiles, according to three sources. Elon Musk himself declined to comment on whether he is involved in any discussions or negotiations regarding federal contracts.
The White House, SpaceX, Palantir and Anduril also did not respond to requests for comment. The publication also noted that if a SpaceX-led group wins the Golden Dome contract, it would be the biggest win for Silicon Valley in the lucrative defense industry and a blow to traditional contractors.
Some experts believe the total cost of the Golden Dome system could run into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Two sources told Reuters that SpaceX has made the unusual move of offering to organize its role in the project as a “subscription service,” in which the government would pay for access to the technology rather than owning the system outright. That subscription model could bypass some Pentagon procurement protocols, allowing the system to be deployed more quickly. But some U.S. defense officials have expressed internal concerns about using it for any part of the Golden Dome, an arrangement that would be unusual for such a critical defense program.
As we reported earlier, the US Army intends to use artificial intelligence to increase the autonomy of the future Golden Dome system, which Trump plans to implement for the country's air and missile defense. The main areas of development include the integration of AI into fire control to reduce the number of operators, the creation of remotely controlled systems, and the development of autonomous systems. Recall that on the night of April 14, 2025, from the spaceport at Cape Canaveral in Florida, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket made a record 27th flight, during which it launched 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. The Starlink satellite system currently has almost 7,200 active devices and continues to grow rapidly, providing Internet access around the world. Thus, SpaceX is not only setting new technological boundaries, but also continues to actively build out the global satellite infrastructure.