Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess testifies during a Senate hearing July 16, 2026.. Scheiss was nominated as the 3rd Chief of Space Operations Credit: Air Force photo by Andy Morataya
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Aug. 6 confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as the next chief of space operations, installing a career missile and space officer to lead the Space Force as it prepares for a sharp expansion in funding, personnel and military missions driven by growing competition with China.
Schiess, who has served as the Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025, succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service’s top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He assumes command as the six-year-old service is seeking a major increase in resources to support new missile warning and tracking satellites, resilient communications networks and other classified space programs.
“It will be the honor of my professional career to lead the Guardians of the United States Space Force,” Schiess told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing last month. “I will work tirelessly to ensure our Guardians are ready, our capabilities are resilient, our partnerships remain strong, and our service is worthy of the trust placed in us by the American people.”
