U.S. Advances 'Golden Dome' Missile Defense as President Trump Calls for Funding; Meadowlands Jammer Accepted; SpaceX Falcon 9 Completes 27th Flight

The U.S. is advancing plans for a missile defense system dubbed the 'Golden Dome,' modeled after Israel's Iron Dome, to protect the homeland against emerging threats such as maneuvering hypersonic weapons. Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance, has emphasized the urgency of deploying this system, which would utilize a constellation of satellites to detect and destroy hypersonic gliders during their flight. President Donald Trump has called on Congress to fund this state-of-the-art missile shield.

Defense contractors like L3Harris are expanding space payload production to support the Golden Dome initiative, with facilities in Indiana increasing output. The U.S. Space Force has also accepted the 'Meadowlands' jammer system, an upgrade to its Counter Communications System designed to disrupt adversaries' satellite communications, enhancing space defense capabilities. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to demonstrate advancements in reusable rocket technology, with its Falcon 9 booster B1067 completing a record 27th flight and landing, returning to Port Canaveral. Preparations for upcoming launches, including a Cargo Dragon mission supported by Falcon 9, are underway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Additionally, Blue Origin, Relativity, and Stoke Space are progressing with their launch facilities, signaling robust activity in the U.S. space sector.