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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
The U.S. Space Force expects to award contracts for space-based midcourse interceptors in February as part of the early stages of the Golden Dome air and missile defense system.
The Space Force’s Space Systems Command Program Executive Office for Space Combat Power on Nov. 20 published a notice that it will release a request for prototype proposals for the kinetic interceptors in early December ahead of expected awards about three months later.
The office expects to award multiple fixed-price other transaction agreements to create the interceptor prototypes, the notice says. The latest posting follows a September request for prototype proposals for space-based interceptors; the new version focuses on kinetic systems targeting threats in their midcourse phases.
The Space Force has been considering an acquisition strategy that includes companies self-funding prototypes ahead of an on-orbit demonstration by 2028.
President Donald Trump has outlined an ambitious schedule for the Golden Dome air defense shield, with capability ready by 2029. The Pentagon has not publicly laid out the architecture for the overall system, which is expected in the coming months.
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