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India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Trump may remove Elon Musk from Golden Dome project, US government looking alternative for SpaceX, this company may get chance, not Google, Microsoft
Home News Trump may remove Elon Musk from Golden Dome project, US government looking alternative for SpaceX, this company may get chance, not Google, Microsoft Trump may remove Elon Musk from Golden Dome project, US government looking alternative for SpaceX, this company may get chance, not Google, Microsoft US President Donald Trump may remove Elon Musk's company SpaceX from the Golden Dome project and give a change to Amazon. Trump may remove Elon Musk from Golden Dome project, US government looking alternative for SpaceX, this company may get chance, not Google, Microsoft Golden Dome Project: The fight between Elon Musk and United States President Donald Trump has been going on since the richest man in the world termed Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' a wasteful expenditure. Now, it is expected that President Trump may remove Musk's company SpaceX from the Golden Dome project — the missile defence system which aims to protect America from foreign air attacks. The Trump administration has already started exploring new options for the USD 175 billion project, Reuters reported. Amid the fight, Jeff Bezos' company, Amazon's Project Kuiper may get a chance. However, other defence companies are also in the race. The report also stated that SpaceX has not shown interest in the project. What Is The Golden Dome Project? On the lines of Israel's Iron Dome, the US also wants to build a powerful air defence system that protects the country from any areal threat such fighter jets, drones and missiles. Notably, Trump announced about the project a week after the start of his second term. According to several media reports, a plan has been made to launch over 1200 satellites for the defence system. With this the US is preparing to detect and destroy the enemy's missiles from space. Out of the 1200 satellites, 400 to 1,000 satellites will be used for tracking of enemy missiles. 200 interceptor satellites will be prepared to shoot down those missiles in space itself. The air defence system will be capable of intercepting and destroying missiles launched from any part of the world. Trump has also claimed that the Golden Dome will be able to intercept attacks from space. Has The Work Started To Launch The Project? It is worth noting that the Golden Dome Project will cost around USD175 billion. The US President has already approved USD25 billion for the project. On July 17, the approval was taken from the Senate, and Space Force General Michael Guetlein was given command of the project. Guetlein will form a team in 30 days, the project's design in 60 days and the entire plan in 120 days. Who Is Better Between SpaceX And Amazon? SpaceX's experience with government contracts and its deployment of over 9,000 Starlink satellites in space make it the frontrunner. Despite launching only 78 satellites to date, Amazon's Project Kuiper has been invited by the Pentagon to participate in a defence project. This has showcased a major shift in government strategy, including technology companies alongside established defence contractors. For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest World News on
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Trump's Golden Dome Defense System Looks For Alternative To Musk's SpaceX
Washington: The Trump administration is expanding its search for partners to build the Golden Dome missile defense system, courting Project Kuiper and big defense contractors as tensions with Elon Musk threaten SpaceX's dominance in the program, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The shift marks a strategic pivot away from reliance on Musk's SpaceX, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite networks have become central to US military communications. It comes amid a deteriorating relationship between Trump and Musk, which culminated in a public falling-out on June 5. Even before the spat, officials at the Pentagon and White House had begun exploring alternatives to SpaceX, wary of over-reliance on a single partner for huge portions of the ambitious, $175 billion space-based defense shield, two of the sources said. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. After Reuters reported initially that SpaceX was a frontrunner to build parts of Golden Dome, Musk said on X that the company had "not tried to bid for any contract in this regard. Our strong preference would be to stay focused on taking humanity to Mars." Due to its size, track record of launching more than 9,000 of its own Starlink satellites, and experience in government procurement, SpaceX still has the inside track to assist with major portions of the Golden Dome, especially launch contracts, sources say. Project Kuiper, which has launched just 78 of a planned constellation of 3,000 low-earth orbit satellites, has been approached by the Pentagon to join the effort, signaling the administration's openness to integrating commercial tech firms into national defense infrastructure and going beyond traditional defense players. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's executive chairman, told Reuters in January that Kuiper would be "primarily commercial," but acknowledged "there will be defense uses for these [low-earth orbit] constellations, no doubt." A spokesperson for Project Kuiper declined to comment for this story. The Pentagon declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Golden Dome's ambitions mirror those of Israel's Iron Dome - a homeland missile defense shield - but a larger, more complex layered defense system requires a vast network of orbiting satellites covering more territory. In the search for more vendors for the satellite layers of Golden Dome, "Kuiper is a big one," a US official said. While SpaceX remains a frontrunner due to its unmatched launch capabilities, its share of the program could shrink, two of the people said. Officials have reached out to new entrants like rocket companies Stoke Space and Rocket Lab are gaining traction and will be able to bid on individual launches as the program matures, according to the US official. Later in the development of Golden Dome "each individual launch is going to get bid, and we have to actually give bids to other people," besides SpaceX, the official said. Need For Satellites There is an urgent need for more satellite production. Last year Congress gave Space Force a $13 billion mandate - up from $900 million - to buy satellite-based communication services in what was widely seen as one of many efforts to stimulate private sector satellite production. Amazon's Project Kuiper, a $10 billion initiative led by former Starlink managers dismissed by Musk for slow progress, Reuters has reported, has lagged behind SpaceX in deployment. But its potential defense applications - such as communications that could aid missile tracking - have drawn renewed interest as the administration prepares to allocate the first $25 billion tranche of funding authorized under Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill. Traditional defense giants Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris are also in talks to support Golden Dome. L3Harris CFO Kenneth Bedingfield told Reuters in an interview the company has seen a surge in interest in its missile warning and tracking technologies, which are expected to play a key role in the system. Northrop, meanwhile, is pursuing several efforts including a space-based interceptor, a component that would enable missile strikes from orbit, Robert Flemming, the head of the company's space business, told Reuters in an interview. "Lockheed Martin is ready to support Golden Dome for America as a proven mission partner," Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space, said in a statement. Golden Dome's initial outreach this spring invited smaller, newer Silicon Valley firms seen as nimbler, more sophisticated and potentially less expensive alternatives to the big defense firms to the table - but that was before the Musk-Trump feud upended that calculus. Several with close ties to Trump aside from SpaceX, including Palantir and Anduril - were considered early frontrunners to win big pieces of the $175 billion project. But the Musk-Trump feud has reshaped the competitive landscape. Musk recently launched the "America Party," a tech-centric, centrist political movement aimed at defeating Republicans who backed Trump's tax-and-spend agenda. Rapid Timeframe Trump launched the Golden Dome initiative just a week into his second term, pushing for rapid deployment. Space Force General Michael Guetlein, confirmed by the Senate on July 17, is set to lead the program with sweeping authority. Under a previously unreported directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Guetlein has 30 days from confirmation to build a team, 60 days to deliver an initial system design, and 120 days to present a full implementation plan, including satellite and ground station details, two people briefed on the memo said. The inclusion of commercial platforms like Kuiper raises security concerns. Its satellites would need to be hardened against cyberattacks and electronic warfare, a challenge that has plagued even SpaceX's Starlink network. In May 2024, Elon Musk said SpaceX was spending "significant resources combating Russian jamming efforts. This is a tough problem." Beyond the technical and political challenges, Golden Dome could reshape global security dynamics. A fully operational space-based missile shield may prompt adversaries to develop new offensive capabilities or accelerate the militarization of space.
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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business Standard
Donald Trump's Golden Dome looks for alternatives to Musk's SpaceX
The Trump administration is expanding its search for partners to build the Golden Dome missile defense system, courting Project Kuiper and big defense contractors as tensions with Elon Musk threaten SpaceX's dominance in the program, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The shift marks a strategic pivot away from reliance on Musk's SpaceX, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite networks have become central to U.S. military communications. It comes amid a deteriorating relationship between Trump and Musk, which culminated in a public falling-out on June 5. Even before the spat, officials at the Pentagon and White House had begun exploring alternatives to SpaceX, wary of over-reliance on a single partner for huge portions of the ambitious, $175 billion space-based defense shield, two of the sources said. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. After Reuters reported initially that SpaceX was a frontrunner to build parts of Golden Dome, Musk said on X that the company had "not tried to bid for any contract in this regard. Our strong preference would be to stay focused on taking humanity to Mars." Due to its size, track record of launching more than 9,000 of its own Starlink satellites, and experience in government procurement, SpaceX still has the inside track to assist with major portions of the Golden Dome, especially launch contracts, sources say. Project Kuiper, which has launched just 78 of a planned constellation of 3,000 low-earth orbit satellites, has been approached by the Pentagon to join the effort, signaling the administration's openness to integrating commercial tech firms into national defense infrastructure and going beyond traditional defense players. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's executive chairman, told Reuters in January that Kuiper would be "primarily commercial," but acknowledged "there will be defense uses for these [low-earth orbit] constellations, no doubt." A spokesperson for Project Kuiper declined to comment for this story. The Pentagon declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Golden Dome's ambitions mirror those of Israel's Iron Dome - a homeland missile defense shield - but a larger, more complex layered defense system requires a vast network of orbiting satellites covering more territory. In the search for more vendors for the satellite layers of Golden Dome, "Kuiper is a big one," a U.S. official said. While SpaceX remains a frontrunner due to its unmatched launch capabilities, its share of the program could shrink, two of the people said. Officials have reached out to new entrants like rocket companies Stoke Space and Rocket Lab are gaining traction and will be able to bid on individual launches as the program matures, according to the U.S. official. Later in the development of Golden Dome "each individual launch is going to get bid, and we have to actually give bids to other people," besides SpaceX, the official said. NEED FOR SATELLITES There is an urgent need for more satellite production. Last year Congress gave Space Force a $13 billion mandate - up from $900 million - to buy satellite-based communication services in what was widely seen as one of many efforts to stimulate private sector satellite production. Amazon's Project Kuiper, a $10 billion initiative led by former Starlink managers dismissed by Musk for slow progress, Reuters has reported, has lagged behind SpaceX in deployment. But its potential defense applications - such as communications that could aid missile tracking - have drawn renewed interest as the administration prepares to allocate the first $25 billion tranche of funding authorized under Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill. Traditional defense giants Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris are also in talks to support Golden Dome. L3Harris CFO Kenneth Bedingfield told Reuters in an interview the company has seen a surge in interest in its missile warning and tracking technologies, which are expected to play a key role in the system. Northrop, meanwhile, is pursuing several efforts including a space-based interceptor, a component that would enable missile strikes from orbit, Robert Fleming, the head of the company's space business, told Reuters in an interview. "Lockheed Martin is ready to support Golden Dome for America as a proven mission partner," Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space, said in a statement. Golden Dome's initial outreach this spring invited smaller, newer Silicon Valley firms seen as nimbler, more sophisticated and potentially less expensive alternatives to the big defense firms to the table - but that was before the Musk-Trump feud upended that calculus. Several with close ties to Trump aside from SpaceX, including Palantir and Anduril - were considered early frontrunners to win big pieces of the $175 billion project. But the Musk-Trump feud has reshaped the competitive landscape. Musk recently launched the "America Party," a tech-centric, centrist political movement aimed at defeating Republicans who backed Trump's tax-and-spend agenda. RAPID TIMEFRAME Trump launched the Golden Dome initiative just a week into his second term, pushing for rapid deployment. Space Force General Michael Guetlein, confirmed by the Senate on July 17, is set to lead the program with sweeping authority. Under a previously unreported directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Guetlein has 30 days from confirmation to build a team, 60 days to deliver an initial system design, and 120 days to present a full implementation plan, including satellite and ground station details, two people briefed on the memo said. The inclusion of commercial platforms like Kuiper raises security concerns. Its satellites would need to be hardened against cyberattacks and electronic warfare, a challenge that has plagued even SpaceX's Starlink network. In May 2024, Elon Musk said SpaceX was spending "significant resources combating Russian jamming efforts. This is a tough problem." Beyond the technical and political challenges, Golden Dome could reshape global security dynamics. A fully operational space-based missile shield may prompt adversaries to develop new offensive capabilities or accelerate the militarization of space. Still, established defense players like Lockheed and RTX, formerly Raytheon, will likely be at the front of the line for contracts. Executives at RTX, maker of the Patriot missile defense system, said on Tuesday they believe the system is going to be integral to Golden Dome "especially if you want to make a significant impact over the next 2 to 3 years."
