Elon Musk and SpaceX in the race for the construction of Trump missile shield

According to Reuters agency, SpaceX has submitted an offer in co-operation with the Palatir and Anduril companies. The tender in question includes building key parts of the project “Golden Cup”, as Trump himself has called it.

Besides Musk, the directors of two other companies are also supportive of Trump and have donated millions of dollars for his presidential campaign.

Representatives of these companies have met in recent weeks with senior officials of the Trump and Pentagon administration to present the plan involving construction and launching into orbit of 400 to 1,000 satellites to detect and track enemy missiles.

The plan also includes a fleet of 200 assault satellites armed with rockets or lasers to destroy enemy missiles, although it is expected that the SpaceX group will not participate in satellite arming.

Reuters also reports that SpaceX has proposed a monthly payment system for its services, instead of a structure owned by the American government. Some Pentagon officials have raised concerns about this model of subscription, calling it unusual for such a critical and large project.

US Space Forces General Michael Guetley is leading discussions to determine whether SpaceX should be owner and operator of its system section. Among other options is for the American government to retain ownership and manage operations through contractors.

The Pentagon has acknowledged the interest of over 180 companies wishing to contribute to the development of the Golden Cup “”. Pentagon deputy chief Steve Feinberg will make the final decision on this ambitious project.

Some experts estimate the total cost of the project in hundreds of billions of dollars. Meanwhile, capacity delivery deadlines begin between 2026 and 2030. According to SpaceX, the initial design and engineering of its share will cost between $6 billion and $10 billion. /Periscope