# Space Technology — Program Element 1206601SF

**Program element:** 1206601SF  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force  
**Appropriation:** 3620F — RDT&E, Space Force  
**Budget Activity:** 2 — Applied Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206601SF

## Summary

U.S. Space Force funding falls 15% to a $234.2M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 9.6% (to $256.7M); the Senate added 4.3% (to $244.2M); House appropriators added 17% (to $274.6M).

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 242.2 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 277.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 234.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 239.6 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 241.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 247.7 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 252.8 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 234.2 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 256.7 | +22.5 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 244.2 | +10.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 274.6 | +40.4 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (7)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 625018 | Spacecraft Protection Technology | 49.4 | 45.2 | 49.1 | +9% |
| 628809 | Spacecraft Vehicle Technologies | 48.0 | 78.5 | 46.0 | −41% |
| 624866 | Lasers & Imaging Technology | 28.6 | 36.6 | 40.6 | +11% |
| 624846 | Spacecraft Payload Technologies | 47.4 | 43.5 | 40.2 | −8% |
| 621010 | Space Survivability & Surveillance | 33.9 | 36.7 | 29.4 | −20% |
| 624847 | Rocket Propulsion Technology | 26.2 | 29.6 | 25.0 | −16% |
| 620200 | Enterprise Transformational Appld Research | 8.7 | 6.9 | 3.9 | −43% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 625018 — Spacecraft Protection Technology

This project develops the technologies to perform faster, well-informed decision making for space operations, enhanced mission assurance of critical space services, and integrate space with joint operational picture for protecting United States space assets, in potentially hostile environments, to assure continued space system operation. The project provides transitionable technology and knowledge to enable speed-of-light protection, many-on-many engagement and defense, and new orbit regimes despite growing threat impunity. This project also encompasses efforts to expand the University Consortium for Space Research to address research needs unique to the United States Space Force.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Control | 23.2 | 23.2 | 25.1 |
| University Consortium for Space Research | 16.4 | 22.0 | 24.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 628809 — Spacecraft Vehicle Technologies

This project is a pervasive portfolio pursuing a broad range of emerging technologies targeted for application and insertion in the future national space architecture. The project focuses on spacecraft components including: structures; power; thermal management; electronics; guidance, navigation and control, and robotics/logistics modules for rendezvous and proximity operations and docking activities. Leap-ahead capability is provided utilizing in-house expertise and laboratories, and by leveraging the creativity and innovation of the Nation's industry, universities, and national laboratories to conduct applied research. The project maintains core competencies in astrodynamics, controls, electronics, materials, power, structures, and thermal, and provides foundational technologies supporting all space mission areas.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spacecraft Component Technologies | 44.1 | 45.0 | 46.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 624866 — Lasers & Imaging Technology

This project conducts research advancing ground-based optical space domain awareness, techniques to counter laser threats to space craft, and laser applications towards ground-to-space quantum communication.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electro-Optic Space Domain Awareness and Satellite Security | 28.6 | 36.6 | 40.6 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 624846 — Spacecraft Payload Technologies

This project develops advanced technologies that enhance spacecraft payload operations by improving materials/component, networking, analysis tools, and subsystem capabilities. This project focuses on identifying and developing technologies that enable new, or enhance existing, communication, positioning, navigation, and timing satellite capabilities, as well as developing technologies and models that support space based surveillance and space asset protection.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missile Warning and Tactical Sensing | 14.2 | 14.1 | 16.4 |
| Space Communication/ Positioning, Navigation & Timing Technologies | 26.2 | 21.8 | 23.8 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 621010 — Space Survivability & Surveillance

This project develops technologies to ensure spacecraft survivability and to enhance surveillance of the space operating environment. Technology development to enhance the ability of space assets to operate effectively despite the challenges of the space environment. This includes developing radiation-hardened electronics and technologies to understand and mitigate impacts of the space environment. The focus is on characterizing and forecasting the battlespace environment for more realistic space system design, modeling, and simulation, as well as the battlespace environment's effect on space systems' performance. This includes technologies to specify and forecast the space environment for planning operations, ensure uninterrupted system performance, optimize space-based surveillance operations, and provide capability to mitigate or exploit the space environment for both offensive and defensive operations.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Environment Research | 22.9 | 24.1 | 17.6 |
| Strategic Radiation Hardened Electronics | 11.0 | 12.6 | 11.8 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 624847 — Rocket Propulsion Technology

This project develops and demonstrates rocket and alternate concepts space and strategic propulsion technologies for space access and space maneuver. Analytical and experimental areas of emphasis are propellants, propellant management, combustion, rocket material applications, and innovative space access and in space propulsion concepts. Technologies of interest will improve reliability, performance, survivability, affordability, and environmental compatibility of these systems. Develop technologies to reduce the weight and cost of components using new materials and improved designs and manufacturing techniques. All efforts in this project contribute to the sustainment and growth of the space, and rocket propulsion industry, providing space access and in space propulsion technology for the entire Department of War (DoW). Technologies under this project enable capabilities of interest to DoW, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and growing Space community. Tasks include proof of concept tests of critical components; advanced component development; and ground-based tests. This project develops next generation of physics-based modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) tools for rapid and agile space access and in-space propulsion design, analysis, and production, as well as the digital engineering concepts to manage the entire process of design, test, and validation of space access and in-space systems. This project also secures National Unique Testing Assets, providing unmatched capabilities that underpin technological leadership and ensure the safety and security of our nation. All thrusts are reviewed by a DoW level steering committee yearly for relevance to DoW missions, and the associated support costs.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Engine Technology Development | 11.5 | 14.2 | 14.4 |
| Applied Space Access Technologies | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| On-Orbit Propulsion Technology Development | 9.5 | 11.1 | 8.7 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 620200 — Enterprise Transformational Appld Research

This project develops multidisciplinary applied research efforts to accelerate the technology pipeline of transformational capabilities by reducing risk and maturing technologies so they can transition in support of larger advanced technology development capability investments. These activities are selected to enable solutions to the Department of the Air Force (DAF) highest priorities. The Explore effort engages traditional & non-traditional industry, government laboratories, and academia through 12-24 month feasibility studies and demonstrations. The Seedlings for Disruptive Capabilities Program (SDCP) facilitates Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) cross-disciplinary applied research to provide leap-ahead, high risk technology development. Applied research efforts span a broad spectrum of activities, and established processes to allow agility and flexibility to meet higher demand signals. AFRL will plan and manage these funds at the enterprise level to achieve a high level of collaboration executed across all the applicable Technology Directorates and will apply the research toward disruptive capabilities. Building off the technology competencies and ecosystems of the Technology Directorates brings together the needed expertise and components to develop the transformational capabilities.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explore | 4.9 | 3.5 | 2.0 |
| Seedlings for Disruptive Capabilities | 3.8 | 3.5 | 2.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is researching, analyzing and developing Space Technology (Projects 620200, 621010, 624846, 624847, 624866, 625018, and 625809) to support Guardians across Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation. The effects of our efforts will ensure that future Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation have the necessary experimentation and analytic results for future USSF R&D activities. This program focuses on seven major areas. First, the enterprise transformational applied research develops multidisciplinary applied research efforts to accelerate the technology pipeline of transformational capabilities.

## Related program elements

- [0601103A — University Research Initiatives](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601103A) (Army)
- [0401119F — C-5 Airlift Squadrons (IF)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401119F) (Air Force)
- [0601103N — University Research Initiatives](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601103N) (Navy)
- [0604757N — Ship Self Def (Engage: Soft Kill/EW)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604757N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 1206601SF (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1206601SF")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*