President Trump Signs SBIR/STTR Reauthorization, Restoring $4B+ in Space Funding
President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, reauthorizing key SBIR/STTR programs through September and restoring over $4 billion in annual funding for early-stage space companies.
Key Points
- Reauthorizes SBIR/STTR programs through September 2026
- Restores over $4 billion in annual funding for small business space R&D
- SpaceWERX uses these funds for critical space technologies like refueling and propulsion
Full Details
President Donald Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through September. These programs, which had lapsed in September 2025, provide more than $4 billion annually in funding for early-stage research and development at small businesses. The U.S. Space Force's SpaceWERX innovation unit has already used these programs to fund technologies like space-based refueling, deployable solar arrays, novel propulsion, software-defined radios, and deep-space navigation. The reauthorization was celebrated at the annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where government officials and small space companies interact on potential awards. This legislation is critical for national security space, as underscored by Space Force leaders prior to the reauthorization.
Why It Matters
This reauthorization secures a vital pipeline of innovation for U.S. space competitiveness and national security, directly supporting the domestic industrial base.
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