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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The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean science satellite is scheduled to launch 2020-11-10, from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
ABL Space Systems secured $44,500,000 in U.S. Air Force contracts for launch demonstrations and $49,000,000 in private financing.
ABL Space Systems expects to ship the first flight version of the RS1 first stage from its El Segundo, California headquarters to Vandenberg Air Force Base by the end of the year for a launch attempt in the first quarter of 2021.
The U.S. Space Force will stand up its first field command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado on 2020-10-21.
The House Space Force Caucus will serve as the chief advocate for the U.S. Space Force and will work with the Department of the Air Force and the Space Force to provide opportunities for members and staff to learn about the Space Force's role in maintaining American space power.
The Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 performed a subsequent 15-second final trim test and will ship to Vandenberg Air Force Base launch complex.
Firefly Aerospace is nearing completion of its Launch Control Center, Integration Hangar, and launch pad at Space Launch Complex 2 West at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The Air Force planned from the beginning to terminate Launch Service Agreements with companies that did not win a launch services contract.
On 2020-08-07, the Air Force planned to terminate the Launch Service Agreements with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman and did not have budget authority to continue funding those agreements.
Blue Origin competed for the Air Force launch provider role but lost and the Air Force plans to terminate the $500,000,000 Launch Service Agreement that Blue Origin received in October 2018 to advance development of its New Glenn rocket.
Blue Origin built a large rocket factory outside the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to manufacture New Glenn boosters and is developing a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
HawkEye 360 will provide its on-orbit satellite constellation to collect, store, and transmit shared RF GEOINT to the U.S. Air Force and its mission partners.
NASA stated that the issue with the Crew-1 mission will not delay the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Earth observation satellite launch scheduled for 2020-11-10 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying a GPS III satellite was scrubbed two seconds before liftoff on 2020-10-02 at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
On 2020-08-07, the U.S. Air Force selected United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as the winners of the launch service procurement competition.
Judge Otis D. Wright II of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California rejected SpaceX’s protest of rocket development contracts the U.S. Air Force awarded in 2018.
The U.S. Air Force awarded Launch Service Agreement contracts to Blue Origin for $500 million, to United Launch Alliance for $967 million, and to Northrop Grumman for $762,000,000 to help the companies defray the costs of developing new rockets and infrastructure while competing for a launch service procurement contract.
SpaceX challenged the U.S. Air Force over contracts the Air Force awarded in October 2018 to United Launch Alliance, Northrop Grumman, and Blue Origin.
IMAP is targeted to launch in October 2024 on a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Appropriators in the 2020 Defense Department conference report raised concerns about the Air Force’s commitment to provide accurate and timely weather data for worldwide military operations.