A Year of Shifts in Space Policy and Defense
Breaking Defense is looking back on the most significant space stories of 2025 and ahead to what 2026 may hold. The year saw historic shifts in space policy, including the ESA’s decision to take on a defense role and the US’s loosening of rules for offensive counterspace ops. The DoD is also considering a prize competition for boost-phase SBI prototypes, while the Space Force is exploring a shakeup to its LEO satellite strategy. Meanwhile, the NGA suspended Ukraine’s access to commercial satellite imagery, sparking concerns about regional stability. This is the first in a series of articles looking at the top space stories of 2025 and what’s to come in 2026.