Major T&E Investment - Space

Abstract

This program provides funds for the United States Space Force (USSF) Test Enterprise. Funds support enterprise-level, threat-relevant, and fully-integrated developmental and operational Space Test & Evaluation (T&E) activities and capabilities; the development of a professional space T&E workforce; and the organization, acquisitions, and operations of the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC). Space T&E activities and capabilities include the USSF Integrated Test Force (ITF) structures, USSF Operational Test Agency (OTA) test execution campaigns, and the workforce and activities required to conduct T&E to adequately assess the performance and survivability of Department of Defense (DoD) space systems, tactics, and technologies in contested environments. Workforce development refers to the organizations, training, and activities required to develop a professional space T&E workforce including the development and operation of the Space Test Course at the United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School (TPS). Space T&E infrastructure encompasses the organization, acquisitions, operations, and associated activities as part of the NSTTC to develop, integrate, operate, and sustain the minimum technical capabilities required to test and evaluate the performance and survivability of critical DoD space systems in contested environments. The NSTTC delivers realistic test and training environments to support capability development by incorporating a mix of live and virtual capabilities to conduct threat emulation, advanced training, tactics development, and integrated testing. This program is in Budget Activity 6, RDT&E Management Support because this budget activity includes research, development, test and evaluation efforts and funds to sustain and/or modernize the installations or operations required for general research, development, test and evaluation.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 1206759SF_6_3620F_PB_2025
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2025 increase is due to funding needed for range command and control leading to the first step in realizing the Global Range Operations concept; new architecture to include ground-based optical sensors and network terminals required to enable classified mission planning and data sharing with specific customers of the Orbital Space Range; Cyber range and Aggressor investments necessary for equipping the Aggressors, defending the global range, replication of mission systems and range sustainment and the test expertise needed to support an additional 18 test programs. FY25: +28.880M funds threat informed, operationally representative training environments and HWIL (Hardware-in-the-loop) lab to conduct cyber T&E and cyber test training. FY25: +25.480M funds the NSTTC capability growth for Electronic Warfare (EW) and Orbital Warfare (OW) ranges. FY25: +7.800M funds Orbital Warfare (OW) Integrated Test Force. FY25: +.418M inflation increase.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Space