In an exclusive interview, U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman unveiled the strategic thinking behind two of the service’s most consequential planning efforts to date: the Objective Force 2040 and the Future Operating Environment 2040.
Released publicly at the 41st Annual Space Symposium, these documents mark a pivotal step in defining what the Space Force will become and how it intends to operate in an increasingly contested domain.
A Starting Point, Not a Final Answer
Saltzman is clear that these documents are not meant to be prescriptive roadmaps or definitive forecasts. Instead, they are designed to provoke discussion, challenge assumptions, and guide long-term thinking.
“This is not the answer,” Saltzman emphasized. “It’s the starting point.”
The Future Operating Environment 2040 explores what the space domain could look like over the next 15 years, factoring in emerging threats, technological advancements, and the evolving nature of warfare. It is intentionally not an intelligence assessment, Saltzman said, but rather a framework to drive debate and experimentation.
Its companion, the Objective Force 2040, takes the next step: defining what kind of force the Space Force must build to succeed in that future environment.
“We say this all the time,” Saltzman noted. “The force we have is not the one we need. So the question becomes: what is the force we do need?”
Building the Blueprint for Spacepower
For the first time, the Space Force has put forward a detailed vision of its future force design, outlining missions, timelines, capabilities, and the infrastructure required to support them.
That level of detail is intentional. Without it, Saltzman explained, planners cannot synchronize resources, industry cannot align innovation, and the service risks inefficiencies in both manpower and acquisition.
“You have to lay it out transparently,” he said. “Otherwise, you don’t synchronize, and you become wasteful.”
The Objective Force provides a 15-year planning horizon, with increasing precision in the near term. It also introduces a disciplined, iterative process – annual updates and full revisions every five years – ensuring the framework evolves alongside technology, budgets, and global conditions.
A New Relationship with Industry
One of the most significant impacts of these documents may be how the Space Force collaborates with industry.
For years, companies have asked for a clearer “demand signal.” Saltzman’s response: this is it.
Rather than relying on rigid requirements processes that can limit innovation, the Space Force is shifting toward a more collaborative model, sharing mission needs early and inviting industry to propose solutions.
“Don’t wait for the perfect requirement,” Saltzman said. “Come to us with what you can offer.”
The goal is to move beyond transactional engagements and toward true partnership, thereby accelerating capability development while reducing costly missteps.
Strengthening Alliances and Avoiding Redundancy
The documents also aim to improve coordination with international partners and allies.
By clearly articulating U.S. priorities, the Space Force hopes to reduce duplication of effort and close capability gaps within coalition operations. According to Saltzman, misalignment can lead to inefficiencies, either through unnecessary overlap or critical shortfalls.
“If we’re all doing the same thing, that’s wasteful,” he said. “If we’re missing something, that’s dangerous.”
A shared understanding of future missions, he argued, will enable more effective burden-sharing and interoperability across allied space forces.
From Vision to Execution
With President Donald Trump’s recent budget request of $71.6 billion and growing mission demands, the challenge now shifts from planning to execution.
Saltzman expressed confidence that the groundwork has been laid, from acquisition strategies to industry capacity-building, to absorb increased funding and deliver results.
“Champagne problems. Bring it on,” he said with a smile, acknowledging the scale of the challenge while underscoring the service’s readiness.
Central to execution is synchronizing people, infrastructure, and capability development. The Objective Force enables the Space Force to determine when new squadrons stand up, when systems reach initial operating capability, and when manpower must be in place, ensuring resources are applied at the right time and in the right sequence.
The Road Ahead
For Saltzman and the Space Force, the release of these documents is the beginning of the next stage.
With foundational processes now in place, the focus turns to continuous learning, experimentation, and refinement. The Space Force will test its assumptions through war games, modeling, and real-world operations, adapting as the domain evolves.
“You don’t have to look too far in the past to see how impactful space has been to operations in recent exercises and real-world events,” Saltzman said. “We’re integrated as a part of the Joint Force, and it’s only going to become more and more dependent on space capabilities. So we’ve got to deliver on the foundations we’ve put in place.”
For the Space Force Association and the broader spacepower community, these documents are set to shape conversations, partnerships, and priorities for years to come.
“I think we’re over the hump in explaining the criticality of space and the threats we face,” Saltzman said. “Now it’s, ‘Well, what are you going to do about it?’ And I think the Objective Force is our starting point.”
Listen and watch the full Spacepower Podcast interview:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nln3dkFGtic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jEEjgBU3mVKYBFUuBF79f?si=oWvhSPC3Rj6aLPDRs0YBJg
