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.
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The Air Force will procure launch services from fiscal year 2020 through fiscal year 2024 for launches starting in 2022.
The Air Force plans to try to help LSP offerors that do not receive awards remain in contention to compete for a potential phase 3 of the LSP after the spring 2020 award.
Congress set a 2022 deadline for the Air Force to stop using the Russian-made RD-180 engine for national security launches.
Congress directed the U.S. Air Force to change the name of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program to National Security Space Launch effective 2019-03-01, reflecting that the military will no longer fly only expendable launch vehicles.
The Pentagon’s proposal seeks to create a top-heavy bureaucracy with two new four-star generals and a new Undersecretary of the Air Force to oversee a force of approximately 16,000 people.
Falcon Heavy must complete the complete nonrecurring design validation, which the Air Force expects to include two more launches, before it can launch its first NSSL mission.
Adam Smith previously supported House Armed Services Committee-led legislation to create a Space Corps under the Department of the Air Force in the 2017-10-01 National Defense Authorization Act.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 passed the first step of the Air Force new-entrant certification process in 2015 and later won EELV contracts for GPS satellite launches.
The Air Force plans to issue the final Launch Service Procurement request for proposals on 2019-03-29.
The Air Force awarded $2,300,000,000 in Launch Service Agreement development contracts to three rocket manufacturers to prepare them to compete in the LSP.
The Air Force is considering a Boeing proposal to deliver the next Wideband Global Satcom satellite, WGS-11, in orbit as a build-and-deliver package.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and some lawmakers challenged Department of Defense leaders to justify creating the Space Development Agency given existing DoD organizations developing next-generation space technologies.
Over the 2020–2024 budget plan, the U.S. Air Force added $9,200,000,000 for space.
In the fiscal year 2020 budget request, the U.S. Air Force requested a $2,000,000,000 increase for space, which was 17 percent more than the previous year.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan proposed keeping the cost of the Space Force at about $2,000,000,000 over five years by placing the new branch inside the Department of the Air Force.
The October 2018 Air Force white paper detailed analysis supporting a $13,000,000,000 cost estimate over five years for a separate Space Force department and U.S. Space Command.
The Air Force began deploying GPS 3 satellites designed to be more resistant to jamming and spoofing.
The Air Force does not expect to launch the final GPS 3F satellite in the series until 2034.
Since 2015 the Air Force has funded upgrades to the legacy GPS ground control system so it can control GPS 3 satellites and provide an encrypted broadcast until OCX is available.
In September the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $7,200,000,000 contract to build up to 22 follow-on satellites known as GPS 3F.