Impulse Space, Anduril building technology for Trump's golden dome

By Sana Pashankar

 

Satellite startup Impulse Space is working with Anduril Industries Inc to develop space-based interceptor technology for President Donald Trump’s planned Golden Dome missile defence shield, according to people familiar with the matter. 

 

The companies have been selected by the Pentagon to develop prototypes of space-based interceptors intended to track and destroy missiles from orbit, said the people, who asked for anonymity to discuss confidential matters. Impulse Space would work as a subcontractor to Anduril on the technology, which doesn’t yet exist. 

 

Space-based interceptors are a key but unproven component of the Golden Dome effort, which seeks to protect the US and possibly other countries with layers of defence systems from the ground to space. 

 

 

Contracts and their recipients are one of the few indicators of how the Pentagon is progressing with Golden Dome, which has been shrouded in secrecy since Trump signed an executive order establishing the project more than a year ago.

 

In November, the US Space Force said it awarded multiple contracts of less than $9 million each to unidentified companies to develop prototypes for the technology. While the contracts are relatively small, recipients will be able to compete for larger production contracts after demonstrating their technology, one of the people said. 

 

Led by Tom Mueller, a founding member and employee No. 1 at Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Impulse Space develops spacecraft that can haul satellites across different orbits, known as “space tugs” in the industry. The California-based company, founded in 2021, has signed contracts with other government customers such as the National Reconnaissance Office, Space Systems Command and NASA. 

 

The joint contract work between Anduril and Impulse Space signals a deepening partnership between the two companies, which have teamed up to develop highly agile spacecraft for national security missions. 

 

Anduril’s involvement in developing space-based interceptors was first reported by Reuters. Impulse Space’s involvement hasn’t been previously reported. 

 

Impulse Space, Anduril and the Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

President Trump’s Golden Dome is expected to cost $185 billion dollars and demonstrate operational capability by 2028, according to remarks made in March by General Michael Guetlein, the military official leading the effort.

 

Critics say the budget constraints and timeline make the project overly ambitious, particularly due to the development of a space-based interceptor network. 

 

Space-based interceptors are considered the most technologically complex and probably most expensive aspect of Golden Dome since it would require the US manufacturing, building and launching hundreds or thousands of armed spacecraft into orbit, on top of research and development costs.