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.
The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $13,000,000,000 contract last year to develop GBSD.
The Air Force plans to establish GBSD units at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana; and Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile test launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base experienced a ground abort during the terminal countdown on 2021-05-05.
Former Air Force Lt. General Steve Kwast is associated with Genesis Systems.
The U.S. Air Force began launching GPS 3 satellites in 2018.
The U.S. Air Force contracted Lockheed Martin to develop an interim ground control system for the GPS 3 satellites.
The Air Force and the Space Force are counting on United Launch Alliance to introduce a new launch vehicle later 2021 that uses a domestic engine.
Space Micro received five separate SBIR/STTR contracts in 2021-01-01 from the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force AFWERX, and NASA.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket launched the NROL-82 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
United Launch Alliance launched the classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite NROL-82 on a Delta IV Heavy rocket on 2021-04-26 at 1:47 p.m. Pacific from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Air Force and Space Force operators at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, monitor objects in space and issue collision warnings.
The U.S. Space Force was spun out of the U.S. Air Force in 2019.
The NROL-82 launch is on track for 2021-04-26 from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:46 p.m. PDT.
Delta 8, located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, operates and controls the Global Positioning System.
The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center is located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California and serves as the center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems.
The Radarsat Constellation Mission was launched on 2019-06-12 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
U.S. Space Command’s tracking teams at Vandenberg Air Force Base currently track about 32,000 objects on orbit, including more than 3,400 active satellites.
SDA will operate Tranche 1 mission operations centers at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
Tom McIntyre earned a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1998.
In October, Orbital Sidekick received a $16,000,000 award from the U.S. Air Force commercial investment group AFVentures’ Strategic Financing program to support the launch of its six-satellite Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellite constellation (GHOSt).