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.
Congress directed the Air Force to create a separate office for a civilian space acquisition executive.
The Air Force launched a refurbished DMSP 5D-3/F19 in early 2014 after refurbishing two stored DMSP satellites.
SMC’s Mission Manifest Office, in partnership with the United States Air Force Academy, planned to fly the EZ-3 and EZ-4 flight systems on the SBIRS GEO-5 mission.
The 460th Space Wing at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, operates the SBIRS constellation.
Palantir will merge data used by the Space Force, the Air Force, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command under the $32,500,000 SMC contract.
The 96th Test Wing conducted a series of flight tests using a 19-foot unmanned aircraft launched from Tyndall Air Force Base from 2021-04-29 to 2021-05-05.
ABL Space Systems received two U.S. Air Force contracts worth a combined $44,500,000 in the previous year.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions developed and integrated the Skyborg Autonomy Core System aboard UTAP-22 Mako tactical unmanned vehicles at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
In the late 1990s the Air Force, DARPA, and the National Reconnaissance Office collaborated on plans for a constellation of radar remote-sensing satellites but the project was canceled in the 2000 federal budget.
The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office has pursued a classified project on radar satellites for ground moving target indicator (GMTI) since 2018.
The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office began identifying space-based GMTI technologies in 2018 with a goal to deploy a new system before JSTARS aircraft are taken out of service.
SpEC was created by the U.S. Air Force in 2017 to attract startups and commercial companies to bid on military space projects.
The U.S. Space Force plans to rename the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base to Space Launch Delta 30.
The Air Force announced on 2021-01-13 that Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, had been selected as the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command.
Northrop Grumman presented a full-scale Vela satellite model to the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base on 2021-05-04.
TDO-3 and TDO-4 carry multiple U.S. Government sponsored payloads that will provide experimental data for the United States Air Force Academy.
The Air Force and Space Force are working to speed up acquisitions by reducing bureaucratic layers and delegating authorities.
Frank Kendall has been nominated as secretary of the Department of the Air Force.
The Department of the Air Force has been directed by Congress to fill the position of a civilian space acquisition leader by October 2022.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions completed objectives following a multi-flight series of flight tests of the Skyborg autonomy core system aboard Kratos UTAP-22 Mako tactical unmanned vehicles at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.