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 twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, known as Blue and Gold, were launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in November 2025.
The Index assigned the U.S. Space Force a weak score on readiness, a downgrade from the prior year’s marginal score.
The Index gave the U.S. Space Force a marginal score on capability and found it unprepared to take over missions shifting to orbit that were historically conducted by the U.S. Air Force.
The Index gave the U.S. Space Force a marginal score on capacity, citing shortfalls in communications, weather prediction, space domain awareness, and ground infrastructure.
The Heritage Foundation’s Index recommends considering organizational changes for the U.S. Space Force, including elevating it to a standalone service or combining the service with the National Reconnaissance Office.
The U.S. Space Force is seeking offensive capabilities that include kinetic impactors, robotic systems to remove spacecraft components, lasers, microwave weapons, chemical-based weapons, jamming, and software hijacking.
Matthew Anderson is an Air Force veteran who works for the Space Force Association.
American industry has proposed orbiting "carriers" to the U.S. Space Force and received a contract to pursue the concept further.
Lieutenant General Gregory Gagnon is head of the U.S. Space Force’s Combat Forces Command.
The U.S. Space Force is exploring deploying capabilities to attack orbiting spacecraft.
The United States Space Force is advancing an RG-XX next-generation effort for a more distributed geostationary surveillance architecture.
The U.S. Space Force will acquire a Starfish Space Otter satellite servicing vehicle for Space Systems Command under a contract issued through the APFIT program.
Vandenberg Space Force Base is frequently used for missions to polar and inclined orbits.
U.S. Space Force and NATO have identified that APT Satellite’s regional coverage could be utilized during a conflict to provide relay services for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
SLDelta30 is the Space Launch Delta 30 unit of the U.S. Space Force responsible for launch operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Rocket Lab expects to deliver the first SDA Tranche 2 flight units to the Vandenberg Space Force Base integration facility by mid-2027.
The program aims to reduce European reliance on U.S. Space Force assets by establishing independent capabilities for early warning, reconnaissance, and secure communications.
Rocket Lab expects the first flight units for the SDA Tranche 2 Transport Layer to be delivered to the Vandenberg Space Force Base integration facility by mid-2027.
The Germany boosts military space program aims to reduce European reliance on U.S. Space Force assets by establishing independent capabilities for early warning, reconnaissance, and secure communications.
The U.S. Space Force was created during Donald Trump’s first presidential term.