With 7,800 interceptors in space, Golden Dome project may cost US $1.2 trn

The United States’ (US) ambitious Golden Dome missile defence programme could cost as much as $1.2 trillion over two decades, with nearly 7,800 space-based interceptors forming the core of a futuristic shield designed to destroy enemy missiles directly from orbit.  According to an estimate by the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, the cost of the programme far exceeds Pentagon’s earlier estimate of $185 billion. According to the analysis, around 70 per cent of the acquisition cost would go into building and maintaining a massive constellation of interceptor satellites in low Earth orbit.  Unlike traditional systems that rely mainly on ground-based interceptors, the proposed Iron Dome, renamed Golden Dome, has an architecture that aims to place interceptors directly in space to destroy enemy missiles during their boost phase—the period immediately after launch when missiles are still accelerating and easier to track. The operational space-based interception system has never been deployed before.  According to a report by The War Zone (TWZ), the proposed network would involve thousands of interceptors continuously orbiting the Earth to ensure global coverage. However, the report noted that even this enormous constellation may only be capable of simultaneously engaging around 10 intercontinental ballistic missiles at a time.  Space-based missile defence  The proposed concept echoes former US President Ronald Reagan's 1983 idea for the Strategic Defense Initiative, nicknamed ‘Star Wars’—a futuristic space-based defence shield designed to intercept and destroy incoming nuclear ballistic missiles. However, it never evolved into a fully operational shield due to technological and financial limitations.  Analysts say modern advances in satellite networks, sensors and autonomous tracking systems have revived interest in such concepts. The Golden Dome is intended to defend the continental US and Hawaii against ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missile threats. The proposed architecture includes orbital interceptors, advanced tracking satellites, ground-based systems and integrated command-and-control networks.  However, critics argue that the programme could trigger a fresh space arms race while imposing an enormous burden on US taxpayers, including concerns over maintaining thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, many of which would require frequent replacement due to orbital decay and operational wear.