Why it Matters

The U.S. military's posture in space is evolving faster than Congress can oversee it — and the House Armed Services Committee's Strategic Forces Subcommittee is trying to catch up. On March 25, the panel will convene five senior officials from across the national security space enterprise to assess where American space programs stand, how they're organized, and whether the Pentagon's growing reliance on commercial launch providers creates vulnerabilities lawmakers should address.

The hearing on "National Security Space Programs and Activities" arrives at a moment when billion-dollar acquisition milestones, organizational restructuring within the Space Force, and concentration risk in launch access are all converging. For members who will shape the next National Defense Authorization Act, this is a foundational session.

National Security Space Programs Under the Microscope

Several developments in the weeks before the hearing frame what's at stake.

The Space Force's Space Systems Command completed the Preliminary Design Review for the Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking Epoch 2 program — a 10-satellite medium Earth orbit constellation built to detect and track advanced missile threats. BAE Systems received a $1.2 billion contract for the program in May 2025, and first satellite delivery is targeted for fiscal year 2029. The speed of that timeline — PDR achieved in just nine months — will likely draw questions about whether the Space Force can sustain that pace across its portfolio.

On March 17, the Space Force announced its second tranche of Program Acquisition Executives, a restructuring of how the service manages procurement across space access, space-based sensing and targeting, and infrastructure. That reorganization is central to whether the service can deliver capabilities on schedule and on budget.

Meanwhile, the National Reconnaissance Office has been exploring ways to leverage commercial technologies to expand its intelligence-gathering capabilities — a trend that mirrors the broader shift across military space activities toward public-private integration.

National Security Space Launch and the Concentration Question

SpaceX launched its first NRO mission of 2026 from Vandenberg Space Force Base earlier this year. Under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program, SpaceX is slated to handle five NSSL missions through September 2026, while ULA will handle two.

That lopsided ratio feeds into a debate Phys.org reported on in March: the growing concentration of U.S. space access in a single company. The article warned that national security could be at risk if access to orbit depends on one provider. The House Science Committee approved the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 on February 4, directing NASA to partner with American commercial providers — but the defense side of the equation remains a live question for this subcommittee.

Broader policy shifts add another layer. ASME reported on new executive orders emphasizing U.S. leadership in space and the Space Force's inaugural International Partnership Strategy focused on coalition-based security.

Who's Lobbying on National Security Space

Lobbying disclosures from the past year show sustained engagement from companies with direct stakes in the hearing's subject matter.

SpaceX filed lobbying reports in the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2025. Palantir Technologies — a data analytics contractor for the NRO, NGA, and Space Force — filed in the second and fourth quarters. 4iG PLC, a Hungarian technology company, filed across three quarters, and the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast filed in the third quarter.

On the campaign finance side, the Employees of Palantir Technologies Inc. PAC made approximately $47,500 in contributions over the past two years, including $1,000 to Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), who chairs the full House Armed Services Committee. The Space Coast Leadership PAC contributed roughly $47,300 over the same period, including $2,000 to Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a subcommittee member.

The Witness Panel

The subcommittee assembled a panel spanning the full national security space enterprise:

The hearing is chaired by Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), with Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) serving as ranking member. It convenes at 7:00 p.m. in 2118 Rayburn House Office Building — an evening time slot that suggests a classified or closed session may follow the open portion.

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