With the recent passage of the 2026 NDAA, we’re digging into one of the biggest questions facing U.S. national security right now: if defense spending rises toward $1.5 trillion in 2027, what should that money actually deliver—especially for the U.S. Space Force?

My next guest argues that any meaningful boost in defense funding should prioritize the Department of the Air Force, including a Space Force that’s still young, understaffed, and working to consolidate America’s military space responsibilities.

David Deptula is Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Power Studies. We spoke about what the ideal funding situation for the Space Force could look like.

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