SpaceX has secured a $4 billion contract to contribute to the development of the Trump administration's Golden Dome, an advanced missile defense system. The agreement was announced Friday, building on a separate $2 billion contract awarded to the company earlier this week.
The Golden Dome initiative aims to create a layered defense network capable of intercepting ballistic and hypersonic threats. The project has drawn both support for modernizing outdated infrastructure and criticism over its potential cost and feasibility.
Elon Musk's aerospace firm will focus on satellite-based tracking and interception capabilities as part of the larger program. The new contracts bring SpaceX's total recent commitments from the Department of Defense to at least $6 billion.
The funding underscores the military's growing reliance on private space companies for national security projects. Observers will watch how SpaceX integrates its Starlink satellite network into the defense architecture.
Critics argue the system's projected budget could exceed $1 trillion, though proponents say it is necessary to counter emerging threats from rivals like China and Russia.