5 minute read•Updated 7:25 PM EDT, Sun July 13, 2025
The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has advanced its version of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), embedding key mandates on space launch infrastructure, missile defense strategy, and radio-frequency spectrum protection.
The legislation, which passed with a bipartisan 26-1 vote, authorizes $878.7 billion in defense spending and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. According to a summary released July 11, the committee is signaling strong interest in safeguarding U.S. leadership in space and missile defense while taking a harder stance against commercial encroachment on military radio frequencies.
Space Launch: Focus on Heavy-Lift and Propellant Safety
Among the most notable space-related provisions, the committee directs the Department of the Air Force to conduct a comprehensive study on the United States’ future heavy and super heavy space launch capacity. This move underscores growing congressional concern about maintaining reliable access to orbit amid increasing national security launch demands.
The study is expected to assess whether current and planned launch capabilities — both government and commercial — are sufficient to support evolving Department of Defense (DoD) and intelligence community missions, particularly as U.S. military satellites grow larger and more complex.
In parallel, the bill calls on the Secretary of the Air Force to publish a new blast damage assessment guide specific to liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane propellant combinations, used by a rising number of commercial rockets. While previous studies on LOX-methane incidents have been conducted by federal agencies, the committee is requesting updated guidance that can be directly applied at Air Force launch complexes, where such rockets frequently operate.
This provision reflects heightened attention to launch site safety, particularly in the wake of increased use of methane-fueled vehicles like SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn upper stages.
The bill also asserts that any future weapon systems designed to create “space control effects” — such as targeting adversary satellite systems — must be acquired and operated by the U.S. Space Force, with commercial partners playing only a supporting role.
Missile Defense: Supporting the ‘Golden Dome’ Initiative
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to robust homeland defense by endorsing the Trump-era Golden Dome missile defense initiative, a long-term program aimed at developing a comprehensive shield against advanced missile and aerial threats.
In addition to funding the continued development of this system, the NDAA mandates the establishment of a robust testing architecture, ensuring any proposed missile defense systems are subject to rigorous, real-world operational testing before deployment.
The legislation also requires the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress on the U.S. hypersonic weapons industrial base, focusing specifically on the domestic capacity to produce advanced materials required for hypersonic glide vehicles and missiles. This reflects persistent concerns about the United States’ ability to keep pace with China and Russia in the development and fielding of hypersonic weapons systems.
Spectrum Protection: Drawing the Line on Commercial Access
The SASC is taking a firm position in the ongoing debate over military-controlled spectrum access, especially as telecommunications companies push for more frequency space to support 5G and emerging wireless technologies.
Under the bill, no modifications may be made to Department of Defense systems operating in the 3100–3450 MHz and 7400–8400 MHz frequency bands unless the Pentagon can certify to Congress that such changes will not impair military capabilities.
This provision is aimed at preventing spectrum reallocation that could jeopardize critical radar, communications, and satellite systems, which rely on these frequencies for national security operations.
The 3100–3450 MHz band has been a particular flashpoint, with defense officials warning that shared use with commercial networks could introduce interference and latency issues during mission-critical operations.
What’s Next
With the Senate’s NDAA proposal now cleared for floor debate, attention turns to the House Armed Services Committee, which is scheduled to mark up its version of the defense bill on July 15. Differences between the two chambers will be reconciled later this year through the conference committee process, a key step before a final bill is signed into law.
Although the NDAA is a policy bill and does not appropriate funding, it sets the framework for how the Pentagon spends its budget and what priorities are emphasized in defense planning and acquisition.
For over 60 years, Congress has successfully passed the NDAA annually — one of the few major bipartisan legislative traditions still standing. If this year’s bill becomes law, it will further cement the U.S. military’s strategic emphasis on space superiority, industrial resiliency, and electromagnetic spectrum dominance as the backbone of modern defense.
