Challenges of Satellite-Based Missile Defense

President Trump recently announced the development of a new missile defense system called the Golden Dome, modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome. He claimed it would integrate with current U.S. defenses, be operational within three years, and even intercept missiles from space or across the globe. He emphasized its importance for national survival, noting Canada might join the project.

However, Professor Ted Postol, a former MIT professor and expert in missile defense, strongly criticized the plan, calling it unrealistic and technologically unfeasible. He compared it to Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or “Star Wars” from the 1980s, which also promised futuristic missile defense but failed due to major technical shortcomings—issues that still persist today.

Postol recounted his experience with SDI, where exaggerated claims, political enthusiasm, and poor scientific validation led to deeply flawed policy decisions. He described how untested and theoretical technologies, like the X-ray laser, were hyped up and presented as game-changers despite never working. This led to what he called a “hallucinatory” policy environment where major Pentagon decisions were driven by fantasy rather than feasibility.

The discussion warns that the Golden Dome may repeat past mistakes: overpromising unproven technology, misleading policymakers, and ultimately wasting resources on a system unlikely to perform as advertised.

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