Amazon’s Kuiper Reportedly In Focus As Trump Looks Beyond SpaceX For Golden Dome Missile Shield

The Trump administration has reportedly broadened its search for partners to develop the Golden Dome missile defense system, reaching out to Amazon’s (AMZN) Project Kuiper and major defense contractors amid rising tensions with Elon Musk.

A U.S. official told Reuters that Amazon’s Kuiper project is a key target in the search for more satellite-layer vendors. “Kuiper is a big one,” the official said, indicating growing interest in diversifying the pool of providers.

Amazon’s stock edged 0.08% higher in pre-market trade on Tuesday. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the company dipped further within ‘bearish’ territory as compared to a day ago.

The report added that while SpaceX remains a frontrunner thanks to its dominant launch capabilities, its share of the program could shrink. Newer rocket firms, such as Stoke Space and Rocket Lab (RKLB), are gaining ground and may be allowed to compete for individual launches as the Golden Dome project evolves.

Rocket Lab’s stock dipped nearly 3% in pre-market trade on Tuesday, with retail sentiment on Stocktwits falling to the ‘bullish’ zone from ‘extremely bullish’ a day ago amid ‘high’ levels of chatter.

Back in April, it was reported that Elon Musk’s SpaceX, as well as Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and drone maker Anduril, were leading contenders to build key components for the Golden Dome project. However, the growing friction between Musk and President Donald Trump – including Musk’s ambitions to launch his own political party – appears to be driving efforts to diversify beyond SpaceX

The move signals a potential shift away from the company, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite networks have been key to U.S. military operations. 

Traditional defense giants Northrop Grumman (NOC), Lockheed Martin (LMT), and L3Harris (LHX), as well as Boeing (BA), are also positioning themselves to support the Golden Dome project.

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