All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The HASC version of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act requires the Air Force to set aside $500,000,000 to help a company that wins a Phase 2 contract but does not receive Launch Service Agreement subsidies.
The U.S. Air Force’s proposed Phase 2 strategy is to select two launch providers in 2020 to split all Phase 2 missions from 2022 to 2026.
Chairman Smith maintained the $500,000,000 fund on the basis that SpaceX was the only company the Air Force did not award a development contract under the Launch Service Agreement program.
SpaceX’s next launch, the U.S. Air Force’s Space Test Program 2 mission on a Falcon Heavy, is scheduled for no earlier than 2019-06-24 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
HASC Chairman Adam Smith included provisions in the committee’s 2020 NDAA requiring the Air Force to add more competitors to the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement.
Adam Smith’s proposed NDAA provisions would create a $500,000,000 fund intended to help SpaceX access government funds that the Air Force awarded to other rocket manufacturers but denied to SpaceX.
Former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson created a Space Force Planning Task Force before her departure on 2019-05-31.
Smith's mark directs the Air Force to factor government investments in companies' launch vehicles, including LSA funding from 2018 and Rocket Propulsion System development contracts from 2016, into the total evaluated price of bidders.
Adam Smith criticized the Air Force's decision to select two providers in 2020 to split all national security launches from 2022 to 2026 as favoring incumbents and shutting out emerging commercial players.
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s 2020 NDAA markup recommends renaming Stopher’s position to principal assistant to the secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration and expanding the role to synchronize fragmented procurement programs.
The Air Force memo states that capping Phase 2 launches at 29 would dramatically increase costs per mission and damage multiple providers' business cases and return on investment calculations.
Blue Origin sought the Air Force to select three providers in Phase 2 and to shorten the contract period to three years but the Air Force maintained a two-provider strategy.
The Air Force issued a request for bids for the Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement on 2019-05-03 with proposals due 2019-08-01.
The Air Force memo expresses concern that requiring source selection information to be provided to Congress 10 days prior to award creates a perception that Congress influenced the Phase 2 award decision.
In October 2018 the Air Force awarded $3,200,000,000 in Launch Service Agreement contracts to United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman.
Smith's bill creates a $500,000,000 fund for certification and infrastructure available to companies that win a Phase 2 procurement contract but were not awarded Launch Service Agreement funds by the Air Force.
The U.S. Air Force is overseeing the STP-2 mission and procured the launch from SpaceX in 2012.
The U.S. Air Force canceled procurement of SBIRS 7 and SBIRS 8 in 2018 and transitioned to the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared program.
The Mission Control Station for SBIRS GEO-4 is operated by the 460th Space Wing at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado.
SBIRS GEO-4 was declared fully operational by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center on 2019-06-06.