Exclusive: LEAP Launches its First Rocket

President Donald Trump likes expensive things. So he’s probably going to love the latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, which estimates the Golden Dome missile-defense system could cost $1.2T over the next 20 years. The estimate is an order of magnitude larger than the $185B figure proposed [https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-expands-golden-dome-cost-estimate-185-billion-enlists-top-defense-firms-2026-03-17/] by Golden Dome chief Gen. Michael Guetlein in March—in large part because of the “limited information available” about the architecture of the missile defense system. The report explains the discrepancy in one of two ways: The estimate: Luckily for the US space industry, the cost to acquire and operate a fleet of space-based interceptor (SBI) satellites accounts for ~70% of the estimate. Keep reading [https://payloadspace.com/cbo-puts-1-2t-price-tag-on-golden-dome/]