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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Work on the Space Sensor Layer to date has been performed under nontraditional contracts managed by the Air Force’s Space Enterprise Consortium.
The Air Force is considering awarding Small Business Innovation Research funding to support commercial satellite weather data efforts.
Relativity is the first venture-backed orbital launch company to receive a direct agreement with the U.S. Air Force for LC-16 at Cape Canaveral.
Relativity won approval from the U.S. Air Force to build a launch site at Cape Canaveral on 2019-01-17.
The Air Force has awarded contracts for about $7,000,000 through the Commercial Weather Data Pilot Program with another $3,000,000 in process as of 2019-01-09.
The U.S. Air Force has obligated about $7,000,000 of a $20,000,000 budget for commercial satellite weather data.
Relativity received a Statement of Capability from the 45th Space Wing allowing development of a launch facility on Launch Complex 16 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Congress provided the Air Force with a total of about $20,000,000 in 2017, 2018, and 2019 budgets to assess whether data from commercial weather satellites could meet military requirements.
The 45th Space Wing operates Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
On 2019-01-17 Relativity was granted a Right of Entry for Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by the 45th Space Wing of the United States Air Force.
SpaceX stated that the decision to build Starship prototypes in South Texas does not impact its manufacture, design, and launch operations in Hawthorne and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The U.S. Air Force released an unclassified report on 2019-01-16 created by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center that takes a broader look at the militarization of space.
Aireon is most of the way through obtaining certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency that would enable the company to provide pan-European service to multiple air navigation service providers.
The Air Force mission carrying the 110-kilogram Orbital Test Bed sensor is scheduled to launch in 2021.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center selected a 110-kilogram Orbital Test Bed to carry a sensor from the French space agency CNES on behalf of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Air Force and Lockheed Martin engineers performed a launch and checkout test after the first GPS 3 launch using elements of OCX Block 0.
The Air Force plans to move a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) into a similar orbit to Meteosat 8 as a temporary fix.
The Air Force relies heavily on DMSP-17, launched in 2006, and DMSP-18, launched in 2009, which are polar-orbiting satellites that cross the equator in the morning to gather global weather data.
The Lockheed Martin upgrades to the legacy ground control system will allow the Air Force to operate the GPS 3 constellation with the existing ground system until 2025.
The U.S. Air Force awarded a $462,000,000 contract to Lockheed Martin on 2018-12-21 to continue modernization of the GPS ground control system.