Marketplace Tech A golden opportunity for tech defense firms
Sep 23, 2025
Sheera Frenkel, a technology and national security reporter at The New York Times, dives into the fierce competition among tech companies eager to contribute to the ambitious Golden Dome missile defense system. With potentially trillions at stake, they discuss innovative solutions like satellites, drones, and AI. Frenkel highlights the substantial technical hurdles, including tracking capabilities and split-second interception decisions, drawing parallels to Reagan's Star Wars initiative. It's a complex tapestry of modern defense technology and risk.
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Multi-Layered U.S. Missile Defense
- The Golden Dome aims to layer short-range missile batteries with space-based interceptors to protect the U.S. homeland.
- Intercepting ICBMs requires space systems because those missiles travel into outer space at extreme speeds.
Tech Firms Pitching Diverse Hardware
- Hundreds of tech firms pitched everything from drones to satellite buses for Golden Dome work.
- Sheera Frenkel cited SpaceX as pitching satellites or 'buses' to host interceptors in space.
New Tech Joins Legacy Defense Firms
- Both established defense firms and new tech players are competing to build command, AI, and drone components.
- Companies like Palantir and Anduril position themselves alongside newer aerospace startups to win roles in the project.