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.
Astroscale U.S. is funded by the Space Force’s Space Systems Command for a refueler mission.
Astroscale U.S. is targeting Space Force Tetra-5 satellites for its hydrazine refueling mission.
Astroscale U.S. will attempt the first hydrazine refueling operations above geosynchronous Earth orbit on a mission targeting Space Force Tetra-5 satellites.
The Atlas V launch opportunity opens at 7:33:30 p.m. EDT, or 2333:30 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The U.S. Space Force awarded Observable Space an IDIQ contract worth up to $94 million.
Observable Space has been awarded $22 million for the initial task orders under the Space Force contract.
Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna, and Brigadier General Nick Hague participated in a roundtable at Western Kentucky University.
Nick Hague is the Space Force Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations and a former NASA astronaut.
The Space Force contract is part of the APFIT program to boost satellite-tracking capabilities using optical ground-based telescopes.
The United States Space Force awarded Rocket Lab a $90 million contract to design, manufacture, integrate, and operate two geostationary orbit satellites.
The seven GRUS-3 microsatellites will launch on Transporter-17 through Exolaunch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Astroscale U.S. Refueler will attempt the first-ever hydrazine refueling operations above GEO targeting U.S. Space Force Tetra-5 satellites.
Astroscale U.S. is funded by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command for a Refueler mission scheduled to launch in summer 2026.
Astroscale U.S. is funded by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command for its Astroscale U.S. Refueler mission.
Astroscale U.S. Refueler will attempt the first-ever hydrazine refueling operations above GEO against U.S. Space Force Tetra-5 satellites.
The Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program shifts the Space Force away from legacy Space-Based Infrared System Highly Elliptical Orbit hosted payloads.
BAE Systems delivered critical flight hardware to support the U.S. Space Force’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program on May 15, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force wants the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program to improve detection coverage over northern polar regions and vulnerable transit flight paths.
Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor assembling the strategic sensing payload for the U.S. Space Force’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program.
The Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar initiative shifts the U.S. Space Force away from legacy Space-Based Infrared System Highly Elliptical Orbit hosted payloads.