This is a guest opinion column

Here in Huntsville, we do not just support America’s space program—we help lead it. At NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and across our region, thousands of skilled Alabamians are helping power the future of American spaceflight. That includes the Space Launch System (SLS), a critical part of NASA’s Artemis program and the only rocket in the world capable of carrying both astronauts and heavy cargo to the Moon in a single launch.

As Congress works through the budget reconciliation process, leaders will be forced to make difficult choices. The goal of ensuring fiscal responsibility while delivering meaningful tax relief is an important one. But how we get there matters. If the process focuses too narrowly on short-term savings, we risk doing real damage to programs that are vital to America’s long-term security, global leadership, and economic strength. President Trump’s proposed 2026 budget calls for phasing out the SLS after just three flights. While this proposal isn’t binding and will not be decided through reconciliation, it sends a clear signal—and it should give Congress pause. Now is not the time to scale back on the only launch system capable of sustaining deep space exploration. Doing so would directly impact on our ability to meet mission goals and would ripple through communities like ours that help build and maintain this world-class capability.

The stakes go far beyond exploration. America’s space program plays a critical role in national security, economic competitiveness, and technological leadership. As countries like China accelerate their own investments in space, we cannot afford to fall behind. Reconciliation decisions should reflect that strategic reality—because while the process is meant to address tax and spending priorities, it can have real consequences for programs like NASA’s. The proposed cuts show how the process can shift national priorities and put critical investments like the Space Launch System at risk. The Artemis program is also delivering real economic returns. The SLS alone supports more than 35,000 jobs across the country, and more than 15,000 of those are right here in Alabama, contributing over $2.1 billion in economic output annually. That is not just a budget line, but livelihoods, innovation, and long-term industrial capacity.

Congress has a chance to pursue smart, targeted savings while still protecting strategic investments. That means resisting cuts that could undercut America’s space leadership. I am grateful that Alabama’s congressional delegation, including Senator Katie Britt and Congressman Robert Aderholt, continue to be strong champions for these priorities. Their leadership will be essential as both the reconciliation package and the FY 2026 budget takes shape.

If we want to stay ahead in space—and ensure that America leads, not follows—we need to protect the programs and people who make that possible. Reconciliation should be a tool for building a stronger future, not dismantling the foundations we have worked so hard to build.

Joseph Summers is the CEO of Minerva Defense in Huntsville, Alabama.