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 U.S. Air Force has agreements with more than 450 organizations that together operate 2,200 spacecraft.
The U.S. Air Force expressed interest in acquiring a spare GOES satellite at a January 2017 meeting of the American Meteorological Society in Seattle.
NOAA will operate GOES-13 on behalf of the U.S. Air Force during the satellite’s remaining life span once it reaches its new location and its instruments are checked out.
NOAA is transferring the decommissioned GOES-13 satellite to the U.S. Air Force to operate at a new orbital location.
United Launch Alliance received $967,000,000 in Air Force funding to help defray the expense of meeting the government’s unique launch requirements.
Blue Origin received $500,000,000 in Air Force funding to help defray the expense of meeting the government’s unique launch requirements.
Blue Origin filed a pre-award protest with the Government Accountability Office on 2019-08-12 arguing that the Air Force’s rules do not allow a fair and open competition.
The Air Force plans to select two winners in 2020 for the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement.
Northrop Grumman received $762,000,000 in Air Force funding to help defray the expense of meeting the government’s unique launch requirements.
SpaceX filed a protest with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on 2019-05-17 over the Air Force’s 2019-10-10 decision to provide funding to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, and ULA but not to SpaceX.
Boeing is asking the Air Force to compel Northrop Grumman to include Boeing in its bid for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program.
The Air Force's final request for proposals allowed bidders to consider team arrangements with competitors.
Virgin Orbit received a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit in November 2017 to launch an Air Force experimental satellite.
The DIU-funded launch was originally scheduled for 2019 from the continental United States but was moved to 2020 and relocated to Guam after further discussions with the Air Force.
Under the Defense Innovation Unit contract, Virgin Orbit will launch an Air Force experimental satellite from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
The Senate Appropriations Committee included $70,000,000 in the Air Force Operations and Maintenance account for U.S. Space Command.
Barbara Barrett supports creation of the Principal Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration position in the Senate version of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and would oversee establishment of that position and transfer of space acquisition functions from the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics if confirmed.
One goal of the NSSL program is to develop domestic rockets so the Air Force can stop launching satellites on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket powered by the Russian RD-180 engine.
NASA targeted an 2019-10-10 launch of the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
A tactically responsive launch program would complement existing programs such as the $13,000,000 Rocket Systems Launch Program, which is managed by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center Launch Enterprise and focuses on increasing DoD use of venture-class launch services.