The Cost of the Golden Dome Missile System

May 13, 2026, 06:50
USAnalysis

Introduction

A government office looked at the cost of a new space defense system for the United States.

Main Body

The government wants to build the 'Golden Dome'. This system stops fast missiles from other countries. It is like a system in Israel. The President says the system costs 175 billion dollars. But the Budget Office says it will cost 1.2 trillion dollars over 20 years. Most of the money is for missiles in space. Some people disagree about the price. A Space Force leader says the price is okay. But Senator Jeff Merkley says the project costs too much money. So far, the government paid 24 billion dollars.

Conclusion

The project is new. People still argue about the total cost.

Learning

πŸ’° Talking about Money & Cost

In this story, we see how to say something is expensive or has a price. This is very useful for A2 learners when shopping or talking about business.

The Key Word: COST

We use cost in two ways here:

  1. As a thing (Noun): *"The cost of a new space defense system"

    • (The price tag)

  2. As an action (Verb): *"The system costs 175 billion dollars"

    • (It takes this much money)

How to describe the price:

  • Too much β†’\rightarrow "The project costs too much money." (This is a negative thing. It is more than we want to pay).
  • Okay β†’\rightarrow "The price is okay." (This is a neutral or positive thing. We can pay it).

Quick Tip: When talking about big numbers, use these words:

  • Billion β†’\rightarrow 1,000,000,000
  • Trillion β†’\rightarrow 1,000,000,000,000

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
the group of people who run a country or region
Example:The government announced a new policy to help small businesses.
office (n.)
a place where people work, usually with desks and computers
Example:She went to the office to finish her report.
cost (n.)
the amount of money needed to buy something
Example:The cost of the new phone is $500.
system (n.)
a set of parts that work together to do something
Example:The heating system keeps the house warm in winter.
missiles (n.)
long, fast weapons that can fly and explode
Example:The missile was launched from the coast.
president (n.)
the leader of a country or an organization
Example:The president signed the new law into effect.
budget (n.)
a plan that shows how money will be spent
Example:The budget for the project is $10 million.
space (n.)
the area outside the Earth where stars and planets are
Example:Astronauts travel into space to study the stars.
price (n.)
the amount of money you have to pay for something
Example:The price of the book is $15.
project (n.)
a planned activity that has a beginning and an end
Example:The school project will be presented next week.