Government Spending on Civil Space Topped $42 Billion in FY2026

Government Spending on Civil Space Topped $42 Billion in FY2026

Government spending on civil space activities is more than just NASA. A new Aerospace Corporation report details the $42.6 billion allocated for civil space in FY2026 and compares it to FY2025 and the still-pending request for FY2027. NASA is the largest share, but only 55 percent of the total. Overall, the report characterizes the civil space budget as going through tumultuous times with the White House and Congress out of sync and the FY2027 o…

What Does the 2026–2027 Federal Civil Space Budget Reveal About U.S. Space Priorities?

The Aerospace Corporation’s 2026–2027 federal civil space budget guide identifies more than 140 budget line items across 19 departments and agencies. Its central finding concerns the breadth of government activity connected to space: spacecraft development and exploration account for only part of the federal role. Agricultural statistics, scientific computing, telecommunications regulation, measurement standards, fisheries enforcement, and workf…