Golden Dome: Lockheed Martin plans to test missile interceptor in space by 2028 (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin has announced plans to launch a test of at least one missile interceptor project in space by 2028.
According to the website The War Zone, these space-deployed interceptors were considered a key element of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, but they face significant technical challenges.
Jim Taiclet, CEO of Lockheed Martin, spoke about the company’s plans for space interception systems and other work related to Golden Dome during a quarterly earnings conference call last Monday (21).
“We’ve also presented proposals for space interceptors and other emerging technologies. In fact, we’re planning a real demonstration of a space interceptor in orbit by 2028,” he said.
“We are building prototypes, complete operational prototypes—not things in laboratories, not things on test platforms, but things that will go to space, or into the air, or fly through a missile field.”
“These are real devices that will work and can be produced at scale. So, the space interceptor is one we’re already developing, and that’s all I can say about it,” Taiclet added.
He also mentioned other work Lockheed Martin is doing for Golden Dome. “Lockheed Martin has built a prototyping environment in our Innovation Center in Virginia to support the collaborative development of a Golden Dome for U.S. command and control capabilities,” the CEO said.
“Through a series of demonstrations, Lockheed Martin’s open systems architecture is already merging existing and new C2 capabilities, from the sea floor to space, and most importantly, these capabilities are not limited to ours.”
“We have a large team of industry partners who are participating in the development of the system prototype, ensuring that the U.S. government has access to the best solution available for each element of the eventual Golden Dome command and control system.”
While the Pentagon has been quite reserved about broader plans for Golden Dome, it is expected to be a broad concept encompassing a wide range of existing and future capabilities in space and Earth’s atmosphere, as reported by TWZ.
However, in what has been publicly disclosed so far, the Pentagon and the White House have emphasized that space interceptors are at the core of the Golden Dome overall vision.
Photo: Lockheed Martin. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
