The US Space Force has begun issuing prototype contracts for space-based missile interceptors, marking one of the first major steps toward the Pentagon’s proposed “Golden Dome” defense network, the service confirmed Monday.
A Space Force spokesperson said the awards were made on November 25 through competitive Other Transaction Agreements, or OTAs, a contracting tool the Defense Department uses to speed the development of emerging technologies.
The number of companies selected was not disclosed, and their names were withheld for security reasons.
“The selection process was robust and thorough,” the spokesperson said in a statement to SpaceNews.
“The Space Force will lead a fast-paced effort in partnership with industry to develop, demonstrate, and deliver prototype interceptors.”
Golden Dome begins
The service also did not release contract values. OTA awards fall outside the traditional Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation system and, therefore, do not require public disclosure.
The Pentagon often uses OTAs to attract companies that do not typically work on defense contracts because the rules are more flexible regarding costs, schedules, and intellectual property rights.
The prototype contracts stem from a Space Force solicitation issued in September seeking designs for boost-phase interceptors, systems intended to destroy an enemy missile within the first few minutes of launch.
Destroying a missile in this early “boost” stage is considered ideal because the rocket is still bright and hot, making it easier to track. But firing an interceptor in that short window requires quick reaction times and a large number of satellites in low Earth orbit.
The early awards support the Pentagon’s ambitious Golden Dome initiative, led by Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, who reports directly to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg.
Golden Dome is envisioned as a multi-layered homeland missile defense system that combines new space-based sensors, faster command-and-control systems, and a mix of ground and orbital interceptors.
Under the concept, space-based interceptors would maneuver in orbit and physically strike hostile missiles during flight.
How they are used and how many satellites are required will depend on the architecture the Pentagon ultimately selects.
Space-based interceptors
While boost-phase interceptors aim to strike a missile when it is easiest to detect, a midcourse interceptor would engage the warhead later in space, giving operators more time to react and reducing the number of satellites needed.
Midcourse intercept requires more sophisticated sensors to distinguish the actual warhead from decoys.
Last week, Space Systems Command announced a separate pre-solicitation for kinetic midcourse interceptor concepts.
A request for prototype proposals is expected around December 7, with awards planned for February 2026. Those awards will also use fixed-price OTAs and may include competitive prize-based components.
The boost-phase approach remains the most controversial part of Golden Dome. Analysts say the physics and scale of the constellation needed may make the program difficult to field.
Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told a recent SpaceNews event that satellites in low-Earth orbit spend much of their time in the wrong position to intercept a launch, a problem he called “absenteeism.”
Harrison estimated that reliably intercepting even a single missile in boost phase could require roughly 950 orbiting interceptors. Stopping 10 missiles, he said, could demand up to 9,500.
Defense analysts say those numbers highlight the need for the Pentagon to narrow its architectural choices before committing to a full constellation.
For now, the early prototype awards suggest the Space Force is moving quickly to explore the limits and possibilities of a future space-based missile shield.