The U.S. Air Force (USAF) plays a significant role in the space industry, historically serving as the Department of Defense's executive agent for space, and developing early military space programs and launch vehicles. Although the U.S. Space Force was established as an independent branch in 2019, the Air Force continues to contribute to space operations, including training personnel, research and development, and maintaining partnerships. The USAF's space-related activities encompass satellite operations, missile warning, communication support, and collaboration with allies to ensure regional stability. Key partners include the U.S. Space Force, other branches of the military, and international allies.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Air Force has been working with appropriators on an option to double the capacity of WGS-11 to avoid procuring WGS-12.
Boeing received a $605,000,000 contract for production of the Air Force’s 11th Wideband Global SATCOM satellite, WGS-11.
The Air Force is obligating $300,000,000 of the $605,000,000 WGS-11 award at the time of the contract modification.
WGS-11 is being funded with money that Congress inserted into the fiscal year 2018 budget for satellites the Air Force had not intended to buy.
JPL delivered COWVR to the Air Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office prior to cancellation of ORS-6 launch plans due to problems with the satellite bus.
In 2016, the Air Force planned to send COWVR into a 600-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit on a 300-kilogram satellite as part of Operationally Responsive Space-6.
The Air Force plans to send COWVR to the International Space Station in 2021 for one to three years as part of Space Test Program Houston 8.
The U.S. Air Force plans to test a small microwave sensor developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the International Space Station in 2021.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center is based in Los Angeles, is 65 years old, and employs 6,000 people.
The National Reconnaissance Office started as a secret program in 1960 established jointly by the U.S. Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency.
Aerojet Rocketdyne’s revised agreement with the Air Force covers work to design, build, and assemble a single AR1 engine prototype by December 2019 according to the company’s Form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The U.S. Air Force awarded Aerojet Rocketdyne an agreement in 2016 to support development of the AR1 engine.
The original value of the Air Force other transaction agreement for AR1 development was $804,000,000 with the Air Force providing two-thirds of the funding and the remainder coming from Aerojet Rocketdyne and, to a lesser extent, United Launch Alliance.
Aerojet Rocketdyne renegotiated the Air Force agreement in June 2018, decreasing the total value to $353,800,000 with the Air Force providing five-sixths of the total cost.
The Air Force plans to solicit proposals for national security launch services and select two providers in 2020.
The Air Force began investing in rocket propulsion systems at the beginning of 2016.
The Air Force plans for the two selected Phase 2 providers to split national security launches 60/40 between 2022 and 2026.
The Air Force will decide annually which provider gets specific missions in order to manage the manifest and even out the 60/40 split over the five-year period.
Congress passed a law in 2015 that set a 2022 deadline for the Air Force to phase out United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket powered by the Russian RD-180 engine.
The Air Force co-invested with industry in new propulsion systems and rockets beginning about five years before 2019.