Space Power: Space Force "Budget's Like A Protein Shake"

Space Power: Space Force "Budget's Like A Protein Shake"

From The DownLink Podcast by The DownLink

April 24, 2026 · 48 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the proposed increase in the Space Force budget and its implications with experts in defense and space policy.

The Trump Administration is asking Congress to more than double the Space Force budget — but with billions flowing to classified programs and a missile defense shield still under development, the real question is whether this is a strategy or a very expensive bet. Laura Winter speaks with Todd Harrison, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, and much respected NASA and Defense Department budget diviner; and Sam Wilson, Director, Strategy and Program Support, Center for Space Policy and Strategy, at The Aerospace Corporation.

People in this episode

Host: Laura Winter

Guests: Todd Harrison, Sam Wilson

Topics covered

  • Space Force budget
  • military strategy
  • defense spending
  • classified programs
  • missile defense
  • government policy

Keywords

  • Space Force
  • budget
  • defense
  • Trump Administration
  • missile defense
  • classified programs
  • government spending

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Enterprise Institute, Center for Space Policy and Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation, Trump Administration, Space Force

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