Two New Documents Outline Future Evolution of the U.S. Space Force
U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman unveiled two new strategic papers—Future Operating Environment 2040 and The Objective Force 2040—detailing the service’s evolution over the next 15 years. The 68‑page FUTURE document sketches emerging threats, technologies and missions, while the 104‑page OBJECTIVE report calls for a generational shift in acquisition, infrastructure and manpower. Saltzman, who will leave his post before next year’s Space Symposium, highlighted the force’s transition from doctrinal development to daily combat operations. Concurrently, the FY2027 budget proposal seeks to lift Space Force funding from $31.8 billion to $71 billion.
Trump FY2027 NASA Budget Supports Moon Missions, But Cuts Everything Else
The Trump administration’s FY2027 budget request keeps NASA’s total funding at $18.8 billion, a 23 percent cut that mirrors the FY2026 proposal. It adds $731 million for Artemis lunar landings and $175 million for a robotic lunar base camp, while slashing the science portfolio...
What’s Happening in Space Policy February 22-28, 2026
President Trump will deliver his State of the Union address on Feb. 24, where space defense initiatives such as the Golden Dome missile shield could re‑emerge alongside a renewed focus on lunar missions. NASA plans to roll the Artemis II SLS/Orion...
Another Partial Government Shutdown This Weekend, but Could Be Short
A Continuing Resolution expires at midnight, threatening a partial government shutdown this weekend. The Senate passed an amended six‑bill "minibus" that funds Defense, NASA, NOAA, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation and other agencies, but the text must return...
Repaired Shenzhou-20 Returns to Earth Empty
China’s Shenzhou‑20 spacecraft returned to Earth empty after a debris‑induced crack compromised its viewport. The crew was transferred to the Shenzhou‑21 capsule for a safe landing in November, leaving the damaged module docked to Tiangong. A rapid‑response window‑treatment, delivered by...
House Passes Final FY2026 Funding Bill For NASA, Senate Is Next
The U.S. House approved the FY2026 Commerce‑Justice‑Science appropriations bill, preserving NASA’s budget at roughly $24.4 billion—far above the Trump administration’s proposed $18.8 billion cut. The measure passed with a strong bipartisan majority (397‑28) and now moves to the Senate for final approval....
What’s Happening in Space Policy January 4-10, 2026
The 119th Congress convened its second session on Jan. 3, with FY2026 appropriations still incomplete and a Continuing Resolution set to expire on Jan. 30. Only three of twelve appropriations bills have been enacted, leaving the Defense and Commerce‑Justice‑Science (CJS) bills that...
First Wheelchair User Flies to Space
Michi Benthaus, an aerospace engineer who uses a wheelchair, flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard‑37 suborbital mission, becoming the first wheelchair‑bound passenger to cross the Kármán line. The flight launched from West Texas on December 20, 2025, with five other...
