(Photo/U.S. Space Force Staff Sgt. Jaime Sanchez)
By Troy Turner
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) recently introduced the bipartisan Space Superiority Readiness Act of 2026, which is intended to strengthen Space Force readiness by calling for expanded wargaming, modeling, simulation and training for Space Force Guardians to establish space superiority.
However, the act also calls for an unclassified report on “Chinese commercial space capabilities; and the potential military applications of such capabilities.”
Although the military already is carefully watching and modeling its strategy with defending American space assets against Chinese aggression, congressional attention through acts such as this one supported by Britt help bring the necessary attention to the critical need of financial and administrative support.
It also helps provide awareness to Congress and the public of the seriousness of those threats and the potential impact they could create.
ALABAMA’S ROLE IN DEFENDING SPACE
Britt represents Alabama, a state heavily invested in space and missile defense and serving as home to the U.S. Space Command, which is in transition from Colorado Springs to Huntsville; and the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command. The Huntsville region also is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and hundreds of space- or military-affiliated commercial operations interested in space security.
Alabama additionally has a connection to the study and analysis of China’s military capabilities, as Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery is home to the Air Force’s Air University and its China Aerospace Studies Institute.
“It is well documented that China is determined to dominate the space domain and is working tirelessly to advance its space programs by investing in key sectors of the commercial space economy,” Britt said. “The Space Superiority Readiness Act of 2026 underscores how critical space is as a warfighting domain.
Sen. Katie Britt
“The United States must be able to maintain space control in a potential conflict with the People’s Republic of China and have the resources and capability required to respond and react to future threats,” she said. “I’m proud that Alabama has established itself as pivotal to our national space priorities, and I will continue fighting to ensure that our state and nation remain at the forefront of this mission.”
RECOGNIZING THE THREAT
U.S. forces depend on space-based systems for missile warning, positioning and navigation, communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting; while the range of commercial dependence on space also is rapidly expanding, with daily services such as economic transactions, GPS, communications and countless other services often thought of as routine all are dependent on space assets.
Numerous recent reports from the military and commercial space sectors have spotlighted the growing threat environment in space, including China’s massive build-up, Russia’s deception and disruption campaigns; and the use of space by countries such as Iran and North Korea that have stepped up their capabilities, as evidence shows in the Middle East and Ukraine.
(Photo/USSF)
The Space Superiority Readiness Act would bring additional attention to the training programs for space operators focused on the tactics, techniques and procedures necessary for the U.S. to remain ahead in space, Britt said. It also would improve visibility into China’s space sector by requiring, within 180 days of enactment, an unclassified report to Congress on Chinese commercial space capabilities and their potential military applications.
Cortez Masto explained her interest in filing the act, which goes to a Senate committee for further consideration:
“Space is a cutting-edge frontier we must take seriously. Communist China is expanding its military activities in space, and the United States cannot afford to fall behind,” she said. “Senator Britt and I recently saw the incredible work the U.S. Space Force is doing at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, and I know that by providing Guardians with the tools, training and resources they need, they will continue to be ready to confront any threat.”
U.S. Space Force Col. Shawn Lee, Pituffik Space Base commander.
Britt, meanwhile, in addition to supporting military services, has supported several key NASA initiatives as well, including work in Alabama on the Space Launch System (SLS) that powered the recent Artemis II mission to deep space.
In the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, Britt worked to secure $4.1 billion for the SLS to support Artemis IV and V missions, and $100 million for upgrades at Marshall Space Flight Center.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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