The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary research and development center for the Department of the Air Force, playing a key role in developing warfighting technologies for air, space, and cyberspace. As an integrated lab, AFRL supports both the Air Force and the Space Force, providing solutions ranging from satellites and rocket fuel to advanced materials and manufacturing processes. AFRL partners with organizations like NASA, other government agencies, academia, and industry to conduct research, develop technologies, and test new concepts for space-based capabilities, including space weather observation and data transport. Key areas of focus include space vehicles, rocket propulsion, directed energy, and advanced materials for aerospace systems.
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Ursa Major's bookings include government and commercial partnerships with the U.S. Department of War, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Stratolaunch, and BAE Systems.
Intuitive Machines secured an $8.2 million contract extension from AFRL for in-space nuclear power advances.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) were involved in the testing of the GEK800 engine.
The earlier AFRL initiative included the design of a Stirling-based power conversion system that transforms heat from a radioisotope source into electricity.
Intuitive Machines, Inc. has received an $8.2 million contract extension from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate to develop next-generation nuclear power systems for spacecraft and lunar infrastructure.
Intuitive Machines previously received a $9.5 million award under an AFRL program to develop compact nuclear power systems for space applications.
Momentus is helping shape the future of orbital innovation through its ongoing work with NASA, DARPA, SpaceWERX, and the Air Force Research Labs.
GA-ASI built and flies the XQ-67A Off Board Sensing Station for the U.S. Air Force Research Lab.
AFRL's Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) aims to transport materials to any location worldwide within one hour using rockets.
AFRL does not aim to manufacture or own rockets but seeks to utilize launch capabilities provided by private companies.
The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) selected Blue Origin and Anduril Industries for a rocket logistics transportation research project.
The Air Force Research Laboratory has successfully demonstrated key components of SBSP technology.
The EELV Secondary Payload Adapter was named the ESPA ring as determined by a competition at the AFRL Space Structures Lab.
CSA Engineering, AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate, SMC, and the Aerospace Corporation collaborated to design a ring-shaped adapter.
The Space Structures Lab became the new headquarters for the Space Vehicles Directorate after merging into the Air Force Research Laboratory.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Integrated Experiments and Evaluation Branch (AFRL/RVE) awarded CesiumAstro a contract to design, build, test, and deliver a Skylark LMG Ka-band active electronically steered array user terminal within 12 months.
Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) was awarded a $45,469,600, five-year cost-plus-fixed-fee contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate.
The W-2 capsule will carry an Air Force Research Laboratory–developed spectrometer payload named OSPREE (Optical Sensing of Plasmas in the Reentry Environment) to collect data during atmospheric descent.
Varda Space Industries secured a $48,000,000 contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to test military payloads on Varda’s reentry capsules.
The four-year deal with the Air Force Research Laboratory, dated 2024-11-26, leverages Varda’s W-Series reentry capsules as platforms to test payloads at hypersonic speeds.