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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On May 11, a Titan IIID rocket launched the 17th HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The R-GPS program was created by Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to build and launch small, low-cost PNT satellites to bolster the existing GPS fleet.
The USAF envisioned very large orbital stations powered by nuclear reactors in 1963.
The USAF wished to continue its OSS Study as originally planned, despite it being unapproved at that time.
The Air Force began construction of new facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base to support the space shuttle in the early 1980s.
The USAF announced the small military space station called the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) on December 10, 1963.
The Air Force was responsible for building and paying for the Vandenberg shuttle facilities to support military payloads.
Col. John M. Coulter from the USAF and Dr. M. I. Yarymovych from NASA chaired the MOL meeting.
The Air Force used eminent domain to acquire land from the Sudden family for the expansion of Vandenberg Air Force Base.
By 1968, the Air Force began construction on the Titan IIIM launch pad facility that would become SLC-6.
The Air Force envisioned up to two pads at Vandenberg for shuttle launches in the early planning stages.
The Air Force built Space Launch Complex 6 to launch the Titan IIIM rocket in support of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program.
Major reconstruction of the SLC-6 launch pad was part of the facilities being built at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
NASA's Van Allen Probes were launched in August 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite was launched in November 2000 from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The National Reconnaissance Office is working with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman to ensure the expanded LEO constellation meets military needs.
Under the $1,900,000 contract, Hydrosat will provide cloud and weather prediction capabilities based on its thermal satellite data for the Department of the Air Force.
Hydrosat was selected by the U.S. Air Force for a $1,900,000 contract to provide thermal satellite data to the Department of the Air Force.
Hydrosat will deliver thermal satellite data from its VanZyl satellites to the U.S. Air Force for the first time under this contract.
The Department of the Air Force began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018.