Pentagon officials are aiming to test President Trump’s space-based Golden Dome missile defense system to safeguard the US in the fourth quarter of 2028, according to a report.
That timeframe lines up with Trump’s ambitious goal to “have it done in three years” and comes amid pitches from defense contractors to score coveted contracts to develop the cutting-edge system.
“They want a win to point to in November [2028],” a defense official told CNN. “And DoD [Department of Defense] wants to avoid anything they perceive will slow them down.”
The test, which will be conducted by the Missile Defense Agency, is expected to be called FTI-X, which stands for “Flight Test Integrated,” in a nod to how it will assess the Golden Dome’s vast array of sensors and weapons systems, according to the report.
Development of the state-of-the-art missile defense system is expected to cost about $175 billion, according to Trump, who tapped Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chair of operations at the Space Force, to oversee the ambitious project in May.
Congress has already allocated $25 billion in funding for the Golden Dome in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law last month.
Military officials have explored space-based missile defense technologies for decades, including during Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars program, also known as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
Space-based missile defense technology can be advantageous because it can help thwart an enemy missile much earlier in its trajectory than other technologies that the US currently has in its arsenal.
It can also reduce geographical barriers and catch certain types of enemy missiles at a stage when they are slower and easier to intercept.
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However, there are many drawbacks. The US would need to make significant technological advances to develop that system, which is likely to be very costly and could entice other countries to weaponize space.
The defense official called it a “hard problem, and technically very risky,” CNN reported.
“The possible number of satellites needed to achieve a probability of engagement success is going to be very high, given the time and area needed to cover the continental United States,” the defense official said.
Plans for the test in 2028 are expected to be “phase one” of the project.
A deluge of defense contractors and other private companies have been jockeying for contracts to help develop the massive defense system.
Precise details of how the Golden Dome system will function are not fully known. Trump has taken inspiration from Israel’s feted Iron Dome system, which helps defend populated areas from short-range attacks.
Trump’s plans would encompass much more sophisticated missiles, such as ballistic and hypersonic missiles, that may potentially be fired off from much more distant locations than what Iron Dome defends against.
“Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world,” Trump teased in May.
Guetlein has admitted that the Pentagon faces enormous challenges in successfully completing the project.
“I think the real technical challenge will be building of the space-based interceptor,” Guetlein said at a summit last month. “That technology exists, I believe. I believe we have proven every element of the physics, that we can make it work.”
“What we have not proven is, first, can I do it economically, and then second, can I do it at scale? Can I build enough satellites to get after the threat? Can I expand the industrial base fast enough to build those satellites?”
The initiative comes amid advancements in the American space industry, with tycoons such as Elon Musk working to bring down the costs of launching satellites.
The Defense Department didn’t reply to a request for comment Sunday.
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