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 2019 Air Force small launch directorate missions also included STP-27RD aboard a Rocket Lab Electron, an MDA intercept flight test FTT-23 of the THAAD system, and a flight test of a prototype conventionally configured ground-launched ballistic missile for the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office.
Space Policy Directive 3, issued in June 2018, directed the Commerce Department to take over civil and commercial space traffic management from the U.S. Air Force.
Northrop Grumman received a $792,000,000 Launch Service Agreement from the U.S. Air Force last year to support OmegA development for the National Security Space Launch program.
The bipartisan conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report assessing the risks and costs from receiving only one bid for that phase and plans to mitigate such risks and costs.
The U.S. Air Force confirmed on 2019-12-13 that Northrop Grumman was the only bidder for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
The U.S. Air Force will be the first customer to launch an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 2 with the STP-27RM microsatellite mission in the second quarter of 2020.
In the AFWERX Open Topics SBIR, the Air Force offers two-to-one fund matching from the SBIR budget up to $1,500,000 for companies that have never received a Phase 2 award.
One Air Force SBIR goal is to reduce integration and assembly time and improve the manufacturability of components, buses, and payloads.
The Air Force Small Business Innovation Research program released a pre-solicitation notice on 2019-12-10 through the AFWERX technology accelerator.
Cooper and Rogers wrote language to establish a Space Corps under the Department of the Air Force in the 2018 NDAA but that bill was defeated in the House-Senate conference.
The Air Force projects that the initial standup of a Space Force headquarters could take about 90 days or less and that the new service could take three to five years to be fully staffed and operational.
The National Defense Authorization Act provides the Secretary of the Air Force with the authority to transfer Air Force personnel to the newly established Space Force.
The 2019-10-01 NDAA creates a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration as the senior space architect.
Congressional defense committee leaders unveiled a conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 that authorizes a U.S. Space Force as an independent military branch under the Department of the Air Force.
The 2019-10-01 NDAA provides the Secretary of the Air Force authority to transfer Air Force personnel to the newly established Space Force.
The 2019-10-01 NDAA establishes the U.S. Space Force in Title 10 as the sixth Armed Service of the United States under the U.S. Air Force.
SpaceX needed to demonstrate direct-to-GEO mission capability before flying classified national security missions to GEO in late 2020 under Air Force contracts already awarded.
On 2019-12-06, the Air Force awarded L3Harris a $17,900,000 contract to integrate commercial space internet services on military aircraft.
L3Harris and Northrop Grumman received three-year contracts to establish the ability to communicate with Air Force platforms via multiple commercial space internet constellations using common user terminal hardware elements.
On 2019-12-06, the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $9,900,000 contract to integrate commercial space internet services on military aircraft.