The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, established in December 2019. Its primary role is to organize, train, and equip space forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space by ensuring space superiority. The USSF manages space launch operations, satellite operations, space environment surveillance, and satellite defense, and partners with organizations like NASA on space domain awareness and planetary defense. Key areas of focus include missile warning, satellite communications, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The National Reconnaissance Office is acquiring many of the satellites for the ground moving target indication mission on the Space Force’s behalf.
The Space Force is reorganizing acquisition around nine mission-focused Portfolio Acquisition Executives, shifting authority from individual programs to operational missions.
The Space Force awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion SB-AMTI contract in May to procure air-moving target indication capabilities directly.
Pulse Space won a $40 million contract from the U.S. Space Force.
The Space Force used Pegasus for the TacRL-2 tactically responsive launch mission in 2021.
Rocket Lab launched a Space Force target satellite called Puma from a fixed pad in New Zealand on June 19, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force added two new commercial space startups to the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program.
Pulse Space will develop laser-based power beaming and orbital tracking technologies for the U.S. Space Force.
The Space Force completed and announced the VICTUS HAZE mission on July 1, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force used Pegasus for the TacRL-2 mission in 2021 to demonstrate tactically responsive launch.
Rocket Lab launched the Space Force target satellite Puma from a fixed pad in New Zealand on June 19, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force completed the VICTUS HAZE mission on July 1, 2026.
Impulse Space has entered Lane 1 of the U.S. Space Force’s NSSL Phase 3 program.
The U.S. Space Force’s NSSL Phase 3 program broadens its industrial base beyond companies that own launch vehicles.
Impulse Space will contract directly with the U.S. Space Force under Lane 1 to provide end-to-end launch services.
The U.S. Space Force awarded Pulse Space a $40 million OTA contract to develop its laser technologies.
GRITSS launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-17 dedicated small-satellite rideshare mission.
OCCAM Space’s KISS 24 hardware reached low Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-17 mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Pulse Space received a $40 million technology development contract from the U.S. Space Force on July 9, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Combat Power portfolio aims to deploy proliferated point-to-point energy nodes throughout low Earth orbit to provide a redundant off-grid power layer for critical defense constellations.