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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Congress passed legislation in 2016 requiring the Air Force to develop domestic alternatives to the RD-180 and prohibiting the Pentagon from signing contracts for Atlas V launches after 2022.
Congress added $600,000,000 to the fiscal year 2018 defense budget for the Air Force to expand the Wideband Global Satcom constellation from 10 to 12 satellites.
Virgin Galactic uses the 50-mile (approximately 80-kilometer) altitude, the threshold used by NASA and the U.S. Air Force for awarding astronaut wings, as a major milestone for determining that the vehicle has reached space.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center has acquired most U.S. military space systems for decades and is moving to take a cross-cutting view and establish a more modular architecture.
The Aerospace Corporation is a nonprofit federally funded think tank that provides technical advice to the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office on military space programs.
The "SmallSat Express" mission lifted off 2018-12-03 from SpaceX’s launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
SpaceX had one more mission planned for 2018: a 2018-12-18 launch of the U.S. Air Force’s first GPS-3 satellite.
Congress provided major funding increases for space in the U.S. Air Force's fiscal year 2019 budget.
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 1:16 p.m. Eastern on 2018-12-05.
SpaceX scheduled the launch of the final 10 Iridium Next satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than 2018-12-30.
A Falcon 9 launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 1:34 p.m. 2018-12-03 on a mission to place 64 smallsats into orbit.
Atlas Space Operations is working under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Air Force to develop Atlas Links, an electronically steered antenna array.
Congress approved Air Force requests in fiscal year 2019 to add $7,000,000,000 to space programs over the next five years and reallocate $5,000,000,000 from other accounts.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein ordered a 90-day study last week involving red teams and intelligence experts to inform space budget priorities for fiscal year 2021.
The U.S. Air Force will continue developing capabilities to defeat adversaries in space regardless of how a reorganization to create a Space Force is resolved.
The Falcon 9 flying the SSO-A mission for Spaceflight Industries is scheduled to launch on 2018-12-03 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Wayne Monteith is an Air Force brigadier general who will formally retire from the service on 2018-12-01.
InSight launched on an Atlas V from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 2018-05-05.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 was scheduled to launch 64 small satellites on the Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base but the mission was stood down for additional inspections and postponed for at least a week.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s estimate for establishing a new service and a space command was $13,000,000,000 over five years.