With the recent passage of the 2026 NDAA, we’re digging into one of the biggest questions facing U.S. national security right now: if defense spending rises toward $1.5 trillion in 2027, what should that money actually deliver—especially for the U.S. Space Force?

My next guest argues that any meaningful boost in defense funding should prioritize the Department of the Air Force, including a Space Force that’s still young, understaffed, and working to consolidate America’s military space responsibilities.

David Deptula is Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Power Studies. We spoke about what the ideal funding situation for the Space Force could look like.

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Beginning our show today with Kelle Wendling—an accomplished aerospace and defense executive with more than three decades of leadership experience across space systems, ISR, and government contracting.

Wendling recently joined the Board of Directors at Sidus Space, bringing a career that includes senior roles at L3Harris Technologies, where she helped lead major growth and innovation efforts supporting U.S. and international government customers.

I had the chance to ask her about her past experiences and what she thinks could be on the horizon for the commercial space industry.

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What do Olympic-level athletics and cutting-edge astrophysics have in common? Discipline, curiosity, and a deep respect for gravity. Why am I bringing that up, well I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Isabelle Connor, a senior astrophysics major whose path to studying black holes and cosmic turbulence began in elite gymnastics and an early fascination with space. Isabel is also one of those recently named Distinguished Undergraduate Awardee from the Universities Space Research Association.

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