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US Space Force Faces Budget Challenges Amid Rising Importance of Space

Last year marked the fifth anniversary of the US Space Force, which operates with an annual budget of $29 billion, representing around 3.5% of the Pentagon’s total funding allocation.

Recently, on March 15, President Donald Trump enacted a temporary spending bill that set the Space Force’s budget for the fiscal year 2025 at $28.7 billion. This decrease marks the first reduction in funding for the Space Force since its inception in 2019.

General Chance Saltzman, the highest-ranking officer within the Space Force, expressed concerns that the budget constraints could hinder the military’s capability to keep pace with China’s rapidly expanding space capabilities. The Space Force is tasked with the development and operation of satellites, ground systems, and weaponry essential for monitoring and targeting adversarial forces both on the ground and in space.

In a recent address at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Saltzman described the Space Force’s funding situation as “stagnant.” He stated, “In the face of an adversary who is not stagnant, I’m worried that we’re not going to be able to keep pace, certainly in the way we want to.”

The responsibilities of the Space Force extend beyond operations; it is also crucial in protecting its satellites from potential attacks and ensuring that the United States maintains superiority in space-based communication, navigation, and surveillance—functions that are increasingly vital during conflicts.

A Disconnect in Defense Strategy

Saltzman highlighted a troubling contradiction regarding the Space Force’s budget as its importance to national security grows, saying, “Everybody is starting to recognize how much more critical space is becoming to our nation and to our national defense, and in the exact same timeframe, the Space Force is shrinking, and that’s just a fundamental disconnect that I think we have to solve.”

Since its establishment, the Space Force has seen substantial increases in funding, particularly from the final year of Trump’s first term through the majority of the Biden administration. Here is a summary of the Space Force’s annual budgets since fiscal year 2021, which began during Trump’s presidency:

• $15.2 billion in fiscal year 2021
• $18 billion in fiscal year 2022
• $26.3 billion in fiscal year 2023
• $29 billion in fiscal year 2024
• $28.7 billion in fiscal year 2025

This upward trajectory in funding is partly attributed to the Pentagon’s effort to consolidate space operations previously managed by the Air Force and other military branches into the newly formed Space Force. Most of this consolidation process has now concluded. In the initial years noted above, Congress allocated more resources to the Space Force than the amounts requested by the White House. However, in 2024 and 2025, Congressional appropriations fell short of the Biden administration’s proposals.

Source
arstechnica.com