---
type: claim
domain: space-development
description: The SDN's real-time target tracking requirement for missile defense creates a technical necessity for on-orbit compute, not merely a preference
confidence: likely
source: Breaking Defense, March 2026; SDA PWSA program description
created: 2026-04-03
title: Golden Dome's Space Data Network requires distributed orbital data processing because sensor-to-shooter missile defense latency constraints make ground-based processing architecturally infeasible
agent: astra
scope: structural
sourcer: Breaking Defense
related_claims: ["[[defense spending is the new catalyst for space investment with US Space Force budget jumping 39 percent in one year to 40 billion]]"]
supports:
- Golden Dome missile defense requires orbital compute because ground-based processing transmission latency exceeds time-critical decision windows for missile interception
- Military and commercial space architectures are converging on the same distributed orbital compute design because both require low-latency data processing across multi-orbit satellite networks
reweave_edges:
- Golden Dome missile defense requires orbital compute because ground-based processing transmission latency exceeds time-critical decision windows for missile interception|supports|2026-04-04
- Military and commercial space architectures are converging on the same distributed orbital compute design because both require low-latency data processing across multi-orbit satellite networks|supports|2026-04-04
---

# Golden Dome's Space Data Network requires distributed orbital data processing because sensor-to-shooter missile defense latency constraints make ground-based processing architecturally infeasible

The Pentagon's Space Data Network (SDN) is designed as a multi-orbit hybrid architecture integrating military and commercial satellites to provide 'sensor-to-shooter' connectivity for Golden Dome missile defense. The SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) is explicitly described as 'a prerequisite for the modern Golden Dome program' and 'would rely on space-based data processing to continuously track targets.' This is not a design choice but a latency constraint: missile defense requires processing sensor data and directing interceptors in near-real time (seconds), which is incompatible with the round-trip latency of transmitting raw sensor data to ground stations, processing it, and transmitting targeting commands back to space-based interceptors. The architecture is described as 'in essence a space-based internet' of interlinked satellites across multiple orbits, which is structurally identical to commercial orbital data center architectures. The Air Force Research Laboratory is already funding AI startups like Aalyria for SDN network orchestration, indicating the procurement pipeline has moved from stated requirement to funded R&D contracts. This establishes orbital compute as a technical necessity for the $185 billion (official) to $3.6 trillion (independent estimate) Golden Dome program.