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Investing.com -- The Trump administration is broadening its search for partners to build the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense system, approaching Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)’s Project Kuiper and major defense contractors as relations with Elon Musk and SpaceX become strained, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday.
This strategic shift reduces dependence on Musk’s SpaceX, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite networks have become vital components of U.S. military communications infrastructure.
The move follows a public disagreement between Trump and Musk on June 5. Even before this incident, Pentagon and White House officials had begun exploring alternatives to SpaceX, concerned about excessive reliance on a single company for large portions of the ambitious space-based defense shield, the report added.
After earlier reports that SpaceX was a leading candidate to build parts of Golden Dome, Musk wrote on X that the company had "not tried to bid for any contract in this regard. Our strong preference would be to stay focused on taking humanity to Mars."
Despite these developments, SpaceX remains well-positioned to secure significant portions of the Golden Dome project, particularly launch contracts, due to its extensive experience launching over 9,000 Starlink satellites and its established history with government procurement.
The Pentagon’s outreach to Project Kuiper, which has launched only 78 of its planned 3,000 low-earth orbit satellites, indicates the administration’s willingness to incorporate commercial technology firms into national defense infrastructure beyond traditional defense contractors.