Credit: U.S. Space Force

The U.S. Space Force emerged as one of the near-term winners of Washington’s budget battles. A proposed $39.9 billion for fiscal year 2026 is a jaw-dropping $11.3 billion jump from last year. This funding windfall, which defense officials have dubbed “one budget, two bills,” comes from two sources: $26.1 billion in traditional discretionary spending and a whopping $13.8 billion in mandatory funding from a massive July 4 reconciliation bill.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...