In May, President Trump announced plans for a Golden Dome missile defense system, a multi-layered system designed to ward off ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles launched against North America.

It is estimated to cost $175 billion and will take three years to deploy, according to Trump. The cost and schedule, as with all such projects, is subject to change.

The name Golden Dome is inspired by the Israeli Iron Dome, part of the Jewish state’s anti-missile defense system that has blunted, though not entirely stopped, attacks from its various enemies, most recently Iran. But the idea of a space-based missile defense system has its roots in the Strategic Defense Initiative, proposed over 40 years ago by then-President Ronald Reagan.

Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative was controversial. Some opponents derided it by calling it “Star Wars.” The project never evolved beyond a technological development program for two reasons. First, the technology to launch and coordinate satellites that could track........

© The Hill