Missile defense race shifts to space as experts say real battle is in first minutes after launch

The debate over U.S. missile defense is increasingly focused on space, as defense experts argue that stopping threats in the earliest moments after launch could determine whether the homeland remains protected against Russia and China’s expanding arsenals.

At a policy discussion marking roughly a year since the rollout of the "Golden Dome" homeland defense initiative, former senior defense officials said the United States can no longer rely primarily on deterrence and retaliation to shield the country from missile attacks.