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.
When the U.S. Air Force acquires satellites it allocates launch funds separately in its budget.
A proposed compromise was for the Air Force to pay Boeing to build one WGS satellite and handle the launch for less than $600,000,000.
The Air Force 45th Space Wing will support the WGS-10 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 37.
Blue Origin received a $500,000,000 Launch Service Agreement award from the U.S. Air Force to help build launch facilities, including at Vandenberg.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center issued a draft request for proposals for EELV Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement on 2019-02-21.
The Air Force asked vendors for feedback on the 2019-02-21 draft solicitation and planned to release a final request for proposals by the end of March.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center credits the EELV program with 75 successful national security launches placing more than $50,000,000,000 worth of national security satellites on orbit.
The Air Force intends to select the two Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement winners in 2020.
The Pentagon requested congressional authorization and $72,000,000 in 2020 to establish a Space Force headquarters in the Pentagon under the Department of the Air Force.
The Pentagon plans to transfer thousands of service members, primarily from the Air Force, into the Space Force starting in 2021.
The Pentagon asked Congress to grant the secretary of defense special authorities over five years to move resources into the Space Force, similar to authorities used in 1947 to form the Air Force.
The Air Force is prepared to issue contracts to LEO broadband companies to test services as soon as they start launching spacecraft.
The Air Force experimentation office is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory and works directly with Air Force and Department of Defense leaders at the Pentagon.
The Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio awarded SpaceX a $28,000,000 contract in December to test over the next three years different ways the military might use Starlink broadband services.
The Air Force wants to be able to acquire and use low-cost internet access from LEO constellations as soon as possible.
In fiscal year 2019 the Air Force experimentation office received $216 million, most of which Congress requires to be spent on experiments and prototypes.
The Air Force experimentation office was stood up in May 2016 specifically to take commercial products and test them in field experiments.
The ICON launch was rescheduled for 2018-11-07 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The Department of Defense plans to build the Space Force mostly with existing resources by transferring personnel from the Air Force, Navy, and Army.
Air Force Space Command decided not to relocate the satellite communications procurement office of 36 civilians and military members and 70 support contractors to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.