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.
One L3Harris satellite and one Northrop Grumman satellite on USSF-124 are the first prototypes developed under the Missile Defense Agency’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor program.
Falcon 9 launched the USSF-124 mission to low-Earth orbit on Wednesday, 2024-02-14 at 5:30 p.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The first stage booster used on USSF-124 completed its seventh flight after previously supporting Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, and four Starlink missions.
L3Harris developed the USSF-124 satellites using infrared imaging technology originally developed for weather imaging and Earth science missions.
USSF-124 flew on a Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.
SpaceX planned to launch 22 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 2024-02-15.
The four L3Harris satellites on USSF-124 are part of the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer Tranche 0 demonstration constellation.
The USSF-124 payload included five satellites built by L3Harris Technologies and one satellite built by Northrop Grumman.
Space Force guardians will operate GMTI satellites alongside the National Reconnaissance Office to provide the constellation’s capabilities.
BlueHalo serves as a prime contractor on the U.S. Space Force’s $1,400,000,000 Satellite Communication Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program.
Falcon 9’s USSF-124 launch is scheduled to occur from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
On 2024-02-12 at the Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Conference in Aurora, Colorado, the Department of the Air Force unveiled initiatives to reshape the Air Force and Space Force to concentrate resources on strategic competition with China.
The U.S. Space Force requested about $1,200,000,000 for the GMTI program in its five-year 2024–2028 spending plan.
There are currently two spaceplanes in orbit: the US Space Force's X-37B and a Chinese counterpart.
The Department of the Air Force on 2024-02-12 unveiled a long-term vision to revamp personnel, operations, and technology to reshape the Air Force and Space Force to focus resources on strategic competition with China.
An initiative to procure satellite imagery is being developed by the U.S. Space Force's Commercial Space Office (COMSO).
The U.S. Space Force is coordinating with the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to develop a framework that meets combatant command needs without creating conflicting authorities.
L3Harris conducted its first demonstration of an electronic phased array ground antenna in 2021 under a Defense Innovation Unit contract focused on improving satellite communications for the U.S. Space Force.
PACE launched successfully into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Space Systems Command delivered the USSF-62 Weather System Follow-on – Microwave Space Vehicle from Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.