Jessica Powers
Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations, Strategy, and Requirements for the U.S. Space Force
Jessica Powers’ biggest recent achievement has been supporting growth of the Space Force budget to meet its expanding mission set. The fiscal 2026 budget marks a substantial leap to $39.9 billion, a nearly 40% increase from the fiscal 2025 enacted budget.
“This growth is driven by the critical need for advanced space-based capabilities to support the Joint Force,” Powers said. “Despite its rapid growth, the USSF remains a lean force focused on protecting U.S. interests in space, and the growing demand from the Joint Force continues to exceed available resources. The service’s budget is only about 4% of the overall Department of War funding, representing a huge operational return on investment for the nation as it secures a domain critical to joint operations and national security.”
Why Watch
In 2026, Powers’ team is heavily focused on reforming the Joint Requirements Process. These reforms contrast with a legacy process that locked development programs into rigid requirements written years before development began.
“Our service is looking forward to having a larger voice in establishing operational acceptance criteria, a facet in an overall process to deliver critical capabilities to warfighters in record time,” Powers said.
The nation’s security depends on the Space Force and its Guardians, she said, and the 2025 Space Executive Order specifically calls out the need to achieve space superiority. Within a fast-moving Defense Department, recent requirements reforms ensure they can deliver combat-credible effects to the Joint Force, an effort she said demands they’re in lockstep with industry and commercial partners.
“Jessica has directly shaped the trajectory of the Space Force from ‘protect and defend’ to creating a warfighting culture,” said Gen. Shawn Bratton, vice chief of space operations at Space Force. “Her contributions have ensured the Space Force has the capabilities needed to gain and maintain space superiority in support of the Joint Force and American people.”
Fun fact: During college, Powers lived overseas as an exchange student in Madrid, Spain and Florence, Italy. She also worked for an Italian family as an au pair for its two small children.