Musk's rocket and satellite company is partnering with software maker Palantir and drone builder Anduril on a bid to build key parts of Golden Dome, the sources said, which has drawn significant interest from the technology sector's burgeoning base of defence startups.

In his January 27 executive order, Trump cited a missile attack as "the most catastrophic threat facing the United States."

All three companies were founded by entrepreneurs who have been major political supporters of Trump. Musk has donated more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Trump, and now serves as a special adviser to the president working to cut government spending through his Department of Government Efficiency.

Despite the Pentagon's positive signals to the SpaceX group, some sources stressed the decision process for Trump's Golden Dome is in its early stages. Its ultimate structure and who is selected to work on it could change dramatically in the coming months.

The three companies met with top officials in the Trump administration and the Pentagon in recent weeks to pitch their plan, which would build and launch 400 to more than 1 000 satellites circling the globe to sense missiles and track their movement, sources said.

A separate fleet of 200 attack satellites armed with missiles or lasers would then bring enemy missiles down, three of the sources said. The SpaceX group is not expected to be involved in the weaponisation of satellites, these sources said.

--Reuters--