What is the Golden Dome?

The Golden Dome is a proposed U.S. space-based missile defense system. The goal is to protect the United States from enemy missile attacks by building an invisible shield in space — a “dome” of protection.

How will it work?

• Hundreds of satellites will be launched into space.

• These satellites will detect missiles launched toward the U.S. — even hypersonic missiles or missiles coming from space.

• The satellites will carry or control interceptor missiles or lasers that can shoot down the enemy missiles before they reach American soil.

• The system will also use ground-based radar and sensors to track threats and guide the interceptors.

Why is it called “Golden Dome”?

The name is inspired by the Israeli Iron Dome, a well-known air-defense system. But instead of protecting cities from short-range rockets (like Iron Dome), this would protect the entire continental United States — from space — like a giant invisible “Golden Dome” overhead.

Cost and timeline

• Estimated initial cost: $175 billion.

• Target: Be operational in about 3 years (before the end of Trump’s term, if re-elected).

• Experts say the real long-term cost could grow to $500 billion or more.

Main challenges

• Technical difficulty: No country has successfully built a working space-based missile shield.

• Expensive: Many experts warn it could be a huge burden on taxpayers.

• International tension: It could cause a new arms race in space, with Russia and China building new weapons to defeat the dome.

In short:

The Golden Dome is a futuristic U.S. defense project — a “shield in space” — aiming to stop enemy missiles before they can hit the U.S. It’s ambitious, expensive, and controversial, with many supporters and critics debating whether it can really work.