Double the space force budget.

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. Accelerate or Fail
2. Adversaries Are Becoming More Dangerous and Harder to Deter
3. The Critical Pivot to Restore Space Dominance
4. Acquisition and Program Execution Must Keep Pace with the Commercial Industry
5. A Time to Double Down
6. Recommendations
7. Call to Action

Document Introduction

This report, released by the National Security Space Association (NSSA), provides an in-depth analysis of the urgent challenges faced by the United States Space Force (USSF) and the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) in the current strategic environment. The report begins by noting that although the United States established the Space Force and re-established the Space Command five years ago, marking a critical response to the increasingly "contested" space domain, questions remain about whether its existing systems are sufficiently effective in countering rapidly evolving threats. The report's core argument is that adversaries' rapid development of space and counterspace capabilities has outpaced the U.S.'s ability to respond, forcing the United States to reset priorities and reallocate resources.

The report provides a detailed assessment of the development of space capabilities and the threats posed by major strategic competitors—China and Russia. The document states that China has launched a large number of military satellites, building a vast system including GPS-equivalent constellations, space stations, and mega-constellations in low Earth orbit, and has developed a series of counterspace capabilities such as deorbiting spaceplanes, "inspection and servicing" grappling satellites, laser weapons, and orbital attack weapons. China is also actively engaged in cislunar space operations and has tested a fractional orbital bombardment system using hypersonic glide vehicles; its orbital presence has grown by approximately 620% since 2015. Russia is accused of developing and preparing to launch a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon into orbit and has conducted deliberate interference against U.S. government and civilian spacecraft. Both nations are accused of regularly attacking U.S. satellites using non-kinetic means (e.g., lasers, RF jammers, cyberattacks) and generating massive amounts of space debris through destructive anti-satellite tests, endangering the sustainability of the space environment and international security.

Based on this threat assessment, the report argues that the United States is at a critical turning point in maintaining space dominance. The report emphasizes that the current Space Force and Space Command are insufficient in both size and structure to provide the force needed to deter or defeat adversaries in orbit and beyond. The Space Force must transition from its initial "lean" state to a fully operational service, while the Space Command requires forces capable of rapid, globally integrated operations. To this end, the report's core recommendation is to gradually double the Space Force's budget from approximately $30 billion annually to $60 billion during the Fiscal Years 2026-2030 Future Years Defense Program (FYDP), with corresponding increases in resources for Space Command.

The report also outlines specific paths to achieve this goal. In terms of acquisition and program execution, it is essential to reform the current slow, bureaucratic processes and adopt flexible acquisition strategies (such as fixed-price contracts, Other Transaction Authority agreements, etc.) to keep pace with the commercial industry and rapidly integrate commercial innovation. In capability development, focus should be on investing in space domain awareness, on-orbit servicing and assembly, more ambitious offensive and defensive space control capabilities, and the onshoring of critical chemicals, payloads, and satellite subsystems. Simultaneously, a review of the space industrial base is needed to ensure a healthy domestic supply chain is maintained.

Finally, the report concludes that in the face of tangible and rapidly evolving threats from China and Russia, the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch must take decisive action to increase budgets, streamline acquisition, and achieve rapid, mission-driven adaptation. Without this commitment, the United States risks losing dominance in the next major strategic domain—space—thereby weakening its overall deterrence, warfighting capabilities, and national resilience.