Polaris IntelligencePolaris Intelligence
InformationOrganizationsSpacecraftMissionsConstellationsLaunch VehiclesLocations
© Polaris Intelligence 2025Admin

U.S. Air Force

US
gov defenseFounded 1947
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
www.airforce.com/
Admin Edit

Verified facts grounded in source documentation.

Kevin P. Chilton retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011 as Commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY3/9/2021HawkEye 360 Adds Quintet of Leaders to Advisory Board

The Space Force decided on 2021-01-29 to adopt most of the U.S. Air Force ranks for officers and enlisted personnel.

NARRATIVE GENERAL2/25/2021Space Force sees itself as a startup trying to launch a new product

ABL Space Systems secured $44,500,000 in U.S. Air Force contracts for launch demonstrations and $49,000,000 in private financing.

NARRATIVE FINANCIAL10/22/2020ABL Space Systems tests launch vehicle stage

The White House request indicated that without the anomaly most Space Force activities during the continuing resolution period would be funded from Air Force accounts, requiring manual adjustments of obligations and disbursements and creating administrative burden that would adversely impact Space Force mission execution.

NARRATIVE GENERAL9/8/2020In stopgap funding bill, White House wants Space Force accounts separated from Air Force

The U.S. Air Force compressed the Next-Gen OPIR program schedule by 42 months and plans to launch the first satellite by 2025.

NARRATIVE GROWTH6/3/2020GAO flags concerns about procurement of DoD’s early warning satellites

The sixth mission of the U.S. Air Force’s reusable X-37B spaceplane is scheduled to launch 2020-05-16 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

NARRATIVE PLAN5/6/2020X-37B spaceplane to carry DoD and NASA experiments in upcoming mission

When the application window opens 2020-05-01, more than 7,000 enlisted airmen and officers will be asked to volunteer to give up their commission in the U.S. Air Force and transfer to the U.S. Space Force.

TECHNICAL PRODUCT4/23/2020Space Force projects more than 7,000 airmen will join its ranks this year

John "J.R." Riordan retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011 after a 23-year career.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY3/23/2020Former Senate Armed Services Committee staffer J.R. Riordan joins Parsons Corp.

Susan Mashiko retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2014.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY3/9/2020VOX Space adds retired Air Force major general Mashiko to board of directors

A team of U.S. military and civilian defense officials spent most of 2019 drawing up plans to create a U.S. Space Force as a new service branch within the Department of the Air Force.

NARRATIVE GENERAL1/24/2020U.S. Space Force has lifted off, now the journey begins

PlanetIQ has raised $18,700,000 and holds contracts from NOAA and the U.S. Air Force.

NARRATIVE FINANCIAL1/15/2020NOAA signals strong appetite for radio occultation

The six-hour coast and deorbit burn test was requested by the U.S. Air Force to demonstrate the Falcon 9 can deliver national security payloads directly to geosynchronous Earth orbit.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY12/7/2019Falcon 9 cargo mission for NASA demonstrated long-duration coast required by U.S. Air Force

York Space Systems won a contract to deliver two spacecraft for the United States Air Force.

ORG RELATIONSHIP10/29/2019York Space Systems Accelerates Satellite Production with Facility Expansion

Mike Leahy served in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years and retired with the rank of colonel.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY5/1/2019Air Force unmanned aircraft developer Mike Leahy tapped to replace Fred Kennedy at DARPA

When the U.S. Air Force acquires satellites it allocates launch funds separately in its budget.

ORG RELATIONSHIP3/7/2019Air Force prepares to launch WGS-10 as negotiations with Boeing continue over future satellites

The Department of Defense plans to build the Space Force mostly with existing resources by transferring personnel from the Air Force, Navy, and Army.

NARRATIVE GENERAL2/27/2019Pentagon could face legislative challenges as Space Force briefings begin on the Hill

Fred Kennedy served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired with the rank of colonel.

NARRATIVE CAPABILITY2/24/2019DARPA’s Fred Kennedy tapped to lead Space Development Agency

Starting in 2021, as many as 10,000 people could be moved to the Space Force along with $8,000,000,000 worth of space programs, most of which are currently owned by the Air Force.

NARRATIVE GENERAL2/21/2019DoD Space Force proposal seeks special authorities to transfer people and programs from other services

The upgraded legacy ground control system will support the military M-code secure anti-jam GPS signal that the Air Force plans to deploy in 2020.

NARRATIVE GROWTH1/9/2019Air Force to upgrade existing GPS ground control system while next-generation OCX lags

Over 29 years, the Delta 2 launched 155 missions for the U.S. Air Force, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, and commercial customers.

TECHNICAL PRODUCT10/15/2018Delta 2 finishes its 29-year run as America’s trusty medium-lift workhorse
Page2of3