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.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 7:50 a.m. Eastern.
The Office of Management and Budget objected to an Air Force recommendation that Congress incrementally appropriate funding for large satellite programs rather than fully funding the entire cost in the year the satellite is ordered.
United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V will roll out to the pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on 2020-07-28.
The Techstars Allied Space Accelerator, established in 2019, received funding from the U.S. Air Force, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, and the Norwegian Space Agency.
Peterson-Schriever Garrison will support Thule Air Base in Greenland, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado, Kaena Point Air Force Station in Hawaii, New Boston Air Force Station in New Hampshire, and 16 additional locations worldwide.
Buckley Garrison at Buckley Air Force Base will support Cape Cod Air Force Station in Massachusetts, Cavalier Air Force Station in North Dakota, Clear Air Force Station in Alaska, and 10 additional mission locations worldwide.
The Air Force asked for the wording in Section 1602 to be changed out of concern that the language would lead to lawsuits or protests from launch providers that were not awarded Phase 2 contracts.
The removed Section 1602 dealt with the distribution of launches for Phase 2 and required the Air Force to ensure that launch services are procured only from launch service providers that use launch vehicles meeting federal requirements with respect to required payloads to reference orbits.
The Department of the Air Force plans to award National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contracts to two launch providers next month.
On 2020-07-02, the U.S. Air Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron issued a warning to the University of Wuerzburg of a 2020-07-05 conjunction between UWE-4 and a retired Iridium satellite.
Northrop Grumman shipped the three GEM 63 motors from its facility in Magna, Utah to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
BlackSky received a U.S. Air Force contract on 2020-07-21 to monitor overseas U.S. military bases, detect outbreaks, and analyze the spread of COVID-19.
The U.S. Air Force will use BlackSky’s artificial intelligence and machine learning analytics platform to monitor areas and track the spread of COVID-19 to protect deployed personnel and secure critical nodes of the supply chain.
The Air Force launched an open bidding process in May to select the permanent location of the U.S. Space Command headquarters.
Communities from 26 states submitted bids in the Air Force open bidding process to host the permanent U.S. Space Command headquarters.
Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, indicated on 2020-07-14 that the $116,000,000 set aside for the small launch awards was reallocated to small business loan programs and that small launch contracts would be the first to be reconsidered if additional funding became available.
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office is based at Kirtland Air Force Base and develops and acquires classified space technologies using special authorities.
The Minotaur 4 has launched missions from Wallops Island, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Kodiak Island in Alaska, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Surplus rocket motors are shipped from Hill Air Force Base to launch locations where Northrop Grumman assembles the Minotaur rockets.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 directed the Pentagon to name an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration.