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.
USSF-52 includes an unclassified experiment, NASA’s Seeds-2 project, to test the effects of radiation and long-duration spaceflight on plant seeds.
The USSF-52 mission will mark the first time a Falcon Heavy has been used to launch the U.S. military’s X-37B spaceplane.
The Falcons’ side boosters that will fly on USSF-52 previously supported the USSF-44, USSF-67, Hughes JUPTER 3, and NASA’s Psyche mission.
SpaceX offered a backup launch opportunity for the USSF-52 Falcon Heavy launch during the same time on Tuesday, 2023-12-12.
SpaceX previously targeted Sunday, 2023-12-10 at 8:14 p.m. ET for Falcon Heavy’s launch of the USSF-52 mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SpaceX targeted Monday, 2023-12-11 at 8:14 p.m. ET for Falcon Heavy’s launch of the USSF-52 mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SpaceX offered a backup launch opportunity for the USSF-52 Falcon Heavy launch during the same time on Monday, 2023-12-11.
USSF-52 will carry an unclassified experiment, NASA’s Seeds-2 project, to test the effects of radiation and long-duration spaceflight on plant seeds.
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, 2023-12-10 at 8:14 p.m. ET for Falcon Heavy's launch of the USSF-52 mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The USSF-52 mission will mark the fifth launch and landing of these Falcon Heavy side boosters, which previously supported USSF-44, USSF-67, Hughes JUPTER 3, and NASA's Psyche mission.
The USSF-52 launch will be the first time Falcon Heavy is used to launch the U.S. military's X-37B spaceplane.
The U.S. Space Force activated U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa on 2023-12-08.
The Space Force is procuring more advanced GPS 3F satellites to be launched later this decade with higher levels of anti-jam protection.
The U.S. Space Force will integrate its space forces at the component level to provide a cadre of space experts who can work with the Joint Force, allies, and partners to integrate space activities into shared operations, activities, and investments.
The 2024 NDAA permits the U.S. Space Force to establish a port-authority-style arrangement at launch ranges to improve infrastructure for commercial launch companies.
PlanetiQ launched the fourth-generation Radio Occultation measurement satellite GNOMES-4 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The U.S. Space Force is ordered by the 2024 NDAA to deliver a plan for integrating commercial space tracking data into day-to-day space domain awareness operations.
The 2024 NDAA directs a review on potentially transferring existing Air National Guard space units into the U.S. Space Force.
The four delayed L3Harris missile-tracking satellites are scheduled to fly alongside other Missile Defense Agency satellites on the USSF-124 Space Force mission with no launch date announced.
PlanetiQ launched its fourth-generation Radio Occultation measurement satellite GNOMES-4 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.