U.S. Space Force

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.

gov defenseFounded 2019

History · 3 eventsJun 28, 2024 · Space Delta 18 redesignation as National Space Intelligence Center field operating agency

Washington, D.C., United States

www.spaceforce.mil/

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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The USSF-87 Vulcan mission will carry United Launch Alliance’s heaviest Vulcan payload to date and will have the longest Vulcan flight to date, lasting 10 hours.

GeneralCapabilityPlanValue 4.0Feb 11, 2026Following USSF-87, ULA is planning a rapid cadence of Vulcan launches. Next after USSF-87 are GPS III SV10, USSF-57, T1TR-B and NROL-64 all in the first half of the year. Multiple Amazon Leo launches are also planned, but those depend on when VIF-A is ready.

United Launch Alliance is shifting focus from development of the Vulcan Centaur program to a high-rate production model to meet backlogs for the U.S. Space Force and Amazon Leo.

GrowthPlanValue 4.0Feb 10, 2026ULA Targets Operational Acceleration Following Leadership Transition

United Launch Alliance's USSF-87 Vulcan launch is scheduled for February 12 with a two-hour window opening at 08:30 UTC.

PlanValue 4.5Feb 10, 2026Unfortunately the Crew-12 mission has been delayed by an additional 24 hours, as weather in the ascent corridor continues to be unfavorable. However this does mean that ULA's USSF-87 Vulcan launch can proceed as planned on Feb. 12th, with the 2-hour window opening at 08:30 UTC.

The USSF-87 mission will deploy the seventh and eighth satellites of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP).

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 10, 2026ULA Targets Operational Acceleration Following Leadership Transition

United Launch Alliance is preparing the USSF-87 national security mission to lift off on February 12, 2026 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 10, 2026ULA Targets Operational Acceleration Following Leadership Transition

The USSF-106 mission in August 2025 served as the operational debut for the Vulcan rocket.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Feb 10, 2026ULA Targets Operational Acceleration Following Leadership Transition

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:38 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 12, 2026 for the Crew-12 launch to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026RIP sleep (first one won’t get livestreams given it’s way offshore but I still need to follow-up it)

United Launch Alliance's Vulcan mission USSF-87 and SpaceX's Falcon 9 carrying Crew-12 are scheduled to launch within two hours of each other from neighboring pads located 2.5 kilometers apart.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026Due to Crew-12 delaying by 24 hours, ULA's Vulcan (USSF-87) and SpaceX' Falcon 9 (Crew-12) are now set to launch within 2 hours of each other from neighboring pads 2.5km apart. If Crew-12 proceeds, I doubt USSF-87 can launch due to Dragon closeouts right around Vulcan's T-0.

In 2025 there were 109 launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station combined.

GrowthValue 3.0Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

SpaceX Crew-12 is slated to launch on a Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026RIP sleep (first one won’t get livestreams given it’s way offshore but I still need to follow-up it)

If ascent corridor abort recovery weather clears on the 12th, Crew-12 will launch; otherwise USSF-87 will occupy the launch slot.

PlanValue 4.6Feb 9, 2026Updates: * USSF-87 now launches at 3:30-5:30 am EST * Only one of USSF-87 or Crew-12 will fly, the later apparently unlikely to fly on 12th due to ascent corridor abort recovery weather, but if that clears up it will be Crew-12 launching; if not then USSF-87 will get the slot.

Momentus is moving to fulfill a contract with the U.S. Space Force that it signed last year.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026Latest News

Space Launch Delta 45 is the Space Force successor organization to the Air Force’s 45th Space Wing.

GovernanceValue 2.2Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

SpaceX accounted for 101 of the 109 launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2025 using Falcon 9.

GeneralValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

Most launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in 2025 were conducted by SpaceX.

GeneralValue 2.0Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

Nearly $1 billion is being invested in spaceport infrastructure development at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station through the Spaceport of the Future initiative.

FinancialPlanGrowthValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

Only one of the missions USSF-87 or Crew-12 will launch on the 12th.

PlanValue 3.0Feb 9, 2026Updates: * USSF-87 now launches at 3:30-5:30 am EST * Only one of USSF-87 or Crew-12 will fly, the later apparently unlikely to fly on 12th due to ascent corridor abort recovery weather, but if that clears up it will be Crew-12 launching; if not then USSF-87 will get the slot.

United Launch Alliance can proceed with the USSF-87 launch if Crew-12 is delayed.

PlanGeneralValue 3.8Feb 9, 2026In today's Crew-12 briefing, NASA's Steve Stich (Manager CCP) said that Crew-12 has priority on the range, but that they'll work with ULA to optimize the schedule. If Crew-12 has to delay, ULA can proceed with the USSF-87 launch, but if Crew-12 launches ULA has to delay.

Space Florida is involved in efforts to help fund infrastructure upgrades at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, including potential methane pipeline projects.

GeneralFinancialCapabilityValue 3.5Feb 9, 2026The dominance of Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:38 a.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 12 for launch of the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Feb 9, 2026RT by @GewoonLukas_: NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier 5:38 a.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 12, for launch of the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Mission teams completed a weather review on Monday and elected to waive off a… pic.

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