U.S. Air Force
Air Force turns to partners for weather forecasting support
The U.S. Air Force is turning increasingly to U.S. government, commercial industry, academia and international partners for help gathering and making sense of terrestrial and space weather data.
Rocket Lab inaugurates U.S. launch site
The U.S. Air Force will be the first customer for a Rocket Lab Electron launching in 2020 from a new launch site in Virginia, the company announced Dec. 12.
On National Security | Government taking steps to better support commercial space industry
Live pitch events are one of several avenues the Air Force is pursuing to attract U.S.-owned startups and commercial businesses that are breaking new ground in space technology.
Capella wins Air Force small business contract
Capella Space won a U.S. Air Force contract to adapt its commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for military applications.
Air Force leaders seek to “flip the switch” on innovation
Over two days, the U.S. Air Force awarded $22.5 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding to 30 companies attending the first Air Force Space Pitch Day in San Francisco.
Air Force awards $9 million on first Space Pitch Day San Francisco
U.S. Air Force leaders emphasized their commitment to quick acquisition of innovative commercial technologies by awarding a total of $9 million to 12 companies on the first Air Force Space Pitch Day here Nov. 5.
On National Security | New blood wants a real chance to challenge DoD’s big space primes
Big-money satellite procurements remain firmly in the clutch of the big primes. Nowhere is this more apparent than in missile defense satellite programs.
NOAA weather satellite transferred to U.S. Air Force
A retired NOAA geostationary weather satellite is being handed over to the U.S. Air Force to fill in a gap in the service’s forecasting requirements.
Claims court punts SpaceX’s LSA bid protest to California court
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled Monday that it lacks jurisdiction to hear SpaceX’s complaint that the Air Force has put it at a disadvantage to win future launch service contracts by denying it a share of the $2.2 billion it awarded rivals Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance to prepare for the competition.
Viasat taps Blue Canyon Technologies to build Link 16 satellite
Viasat selected Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) to design and manufacture a cubesat for a U.S. Air Force test of a military communications terminal in low Earth orbit.
U.S. military is eager to take advantage of smallsats at scale if price is right
The U.S. military is eager to take advantage of small satellite constellations if the technology proves it can fulfill military requirements and the price is right.
Space in transition as DoD leaders depart in quick succession
In the coming weeks, the Defense Department, the Air Force and the Army will have new secretaries.
Olis Robotics sees many space applications for autonomy software
Olis Robotics is working to demonstrate the application of its autonomy software for NASA, the Air Force and others space customers to support internal and external space servicing, assembly, manufacturing and operational concepts,” said Blaine Levedahl, Olis Robotics’ U.S. government programs director.
Indian anti-satellite test proves early test for Space Fence
Still in testing mode, the U.S. Air Force Space Fence on Kwajalein Atoll detected India’s March 27 anti-satellite test and issued a break-up alert.
Air Force Secretary Wilson fires back at SDA: Satellites in LEO can’t replace legacy systems
Wilson: “Increasing the number of satellites helps but numbers alone are not enough."
Rocket Lab to launch Air Force satellites
Days after Rocket Lab launched a payload for one U.S. military agency, the company announced its next mission will place three technology demonstration satellites into orbit for the U.S. Air Force.
