# Space Advanced Technology Development/Demo — Program Element 1206616SF

**Program element:** 1206616SF  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force  
**Appropriation:** 3620F — RDT&E, Space Force  
**Budget Activity:** 3 — Advanced Technology Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206616SF

## Summary

U.S. Space Force funding falls 19% to a $126.4M request in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 11% (to $139.9M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators added 50% (to $189.6M).

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 246.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 155.3 |
| FY2027 | Request | 126.4 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 109.7 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 109.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 112.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 114.6 |

> 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 | 126.4 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 139.9 | +13.5 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 126.4 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 189.6 | +63.2 |

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

## Projects (5)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 633834 | Integrated Space Technology Demonstrations | 206.5 | 46.0 | 47.4 | +3% |
| 634868 | Maui Space Surveillance System | 19.5 | 49.3 | 41.1 | −17% |
| 630321 | Space Warfighter Technologist Capabilities | 0.0 | 35.4 | 20.3 | −43% |
| 634922 | Space & Missile Rocket Propulsion | 15.3 | 19.7 | 17.6 | −11% |
| 63682J | Spacecraft Vehicles | 4.7 | 4.9 | 0.0 | −100% |

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

### Project 633834 — Integrated Space Technology Demonstrations

This project is a series of advanced technology demonstrations designed to address mission needs by applying emerging technologies from the Air Force Research Laboratory, other United States government laboratories, and industry. These technologies are integrated into system-level demonstrations that are used to test, evaluate, and validate the technologies in a relevant environment. This project includes the development and demonstration of programs addressing Department of the Air Force (DAF) capability gaps.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated Satellite Demonstrations | 30.4 | 18.1 | 21.4 |
| Transformational Technology Development | 23.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rocket Cargo | 44.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3) | 7.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Modeling and Simulation Tools for Space Applications | 4.8 | 3.4 | 2.7 |
| Agile Space Operations Technology | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Cislunar Space Situational Awareness | 27.3 | 12.8 | 13.5 |
| Modular Open SatNav Architecture | — | 0.0 | 3.4 |
| Manufacturing for Space Systems | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Advanced Materials for Spacecraft Resilience | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 |

> 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 634868 — Maui Space Surveillance System

This program funds ground-based optical space situational awareness technology development and demonstration at the Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS) in Hawaii, as well as the operation and upgrade of the experimental equipment and facilities. Efforts in this program have been coordinated through the Department of War Science and Technology Executive Committee process to harmonize efforts and eliminate duplication.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate and Upgrade Maui Space Surveillance System | 19.5 | 31.3 | 41.1 |

> 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 630321 — Space Warfighter Technologist Capabilities

This Project is a concentrated effort to improve Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) business practices to accelerate moving emerging technologies into the hands of the warfighter. Vanguard efforts draw the operational, acquisitions, and technology communities together into coherent teams to solve the hard Science & Technology (S&T) problems based on Department of the Air Force (DAF) strategic priorities which do not have readily available emerging technology solutions. Teams follow a disciplined process tailorable to accelerate efforts as deemed necessary by the department. This process (known as WARTECH, for WARfighter / TECHnologist) leverages discrete progress gates to deliver S&T efforts organized as Vanguard Pathfinders, Vanguard Prospects, and Vanguards. This construct organizes these multi-disciplinary, capability-focused investments based on characteristics such as effort maturity, established military utility, technical viability and transitionability. Each have built-in off-ramps to promote transition. The process is overseen by an Executive Committee.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Cargo | 0.0 | 8.6 | 2.4 |
| Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3) | 0.0 | 4.5 | 0.8 |
| Payload Delivery System | 0.0 | 20.9 | 16.5 |
| Transformational Technology Development | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 |

> 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 634922 — Space & Missile Rocket Propulsion

This project develops and demonstrates advanced liquid rocket engine technologies, components, engines, and integrated systems for launch vehicles. Characteristics such as environmental acceptability, affordability, reliability, responsiveness, reduced weight, and reduced operation and launch costs are emphasized. The objective is to reduce costs, simplify manufacturability, increase performance and life/reusability, as well as payload lift capability. Additionally, this project investigates and demonstrates technologies that will improve responsiveness and resiliency of space access systems and launch infrastructure. This project also develops and demonstrates solar electric, electric, chemical, and advanced propulsion technologies, for station-keeping, repositioning, and orbit transfer for satellites and satellite constellations. This effort develops technologies for flexible, responsive in-space maneuver in all orbit regimes. These technologies are critical to expanding Space Force's capability to deliver capabilities resiliently and responsively in, to, and through space. This project further develops and demonstrates the 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 secures National Unique Testing Assets, providing unmatched capabilities that underpin technological leadership and ensure the safety and security of our nation. 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. The efforts in this project are reviewed by a DoW level steering committee annually for relevance to DoW missions, and the associated support costs.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Access Propulsion Technologies | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Propulsion Integration and Demonstration | 12.6 | 16.7 | 17.6 |

> 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 63682J — Spacecraft Vehicles

This project develops and demonstrates technologies critical to addressing documented military satellite communications capability gaps and top-ranked United States Space Force (USSF) and/or Space Systems Command (SSC) technology needs.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Communication Technologies | 4.7 | 4.9 | 0.0 |

> 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 developing and demonstrating Space Advanced Technology Development/Demo (Projects 630321, 633834, 634868, 634922, and 63682J) to support Guardians across Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation. The effects of our efforts will ensure that we have improved readiness across the force for Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation. This program focuses on five major areas. First, the Space Warfighter Technologist Capabilities area, practices to accelerate moving emerging technologies into the hands of the warfighter.

## Related program elements

- [0604320M — Rapid Technology Capability Prototype](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604320M) (Navy)
- [0303032A — Trojan - RH12](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303032A) (Army)
- [0603635M — Marine Corps Grnd Cmbt/Supt Sys](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603635M) (Navy)
- [0604182A — Hypersonics](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604182A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 1206616SF (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1206616SF")`.

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