United States Space Force
United States Space Force | |
---|---|
Space Force Delta | |
Founded | 20 December 2019 |
Country | United States |
Type | Space force |
Size | |
Part of | United States Armed Forces Department of the Air Force |
Headquarters | The Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.[4] |
Motto(s) |
|
March | "Semper Supra"[6] |
Anniversaries | 20 December |
Equipment | See spacecraft and space systems |
Engagements | As Air Force Space Command
As U.S. Space Force
|
Insignia | |
Flag | |
Seal | |
Delta, Globe, and Orbit | |
Logo |
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the
The Space Force is the smallest U.S. armed service, consisting of 8,600 military personnel.
The U.S. Space Force traces its roots to the beginning of the
The first discussion of a U.S. Space Force occurred under President
Mission
As outlined in 10 U.S.C. § 9081 and originally introduced in the United States Space Force Act, the Space Force is organized, trained, and equipped to:
- Provide freedom of operation for the United States in, from, and to space;
- Conduct space operations; and
- Protect the interests of the United States in space.
The Department of Defense further defines the specified functions of the Space Force to:[10]
- Provide freedom of operation for the United States in, from, and to space.
- Provide prompt and sustained space operations.
- Protect the interests of the United States in space.
- Deter aggression in, from, and to space.
- Conduct space operations.
Cornerstone responsibilities and core competencies
On 10 August 2020, the Space Force released its capstone doctrine, Spacepower: Doctrine for Space Forces, further expanding on its enumerated missions and duties. In Spacepower, the Space Force defines its three cornerstone responsibilities of military space forces, which it articulates why spacepower is vital to U.S. prosperity and security.[11]
- Preserve freedom of action: Unfettered access to and freedom to operate in space is a vital national interest; it is the ability to accomplish all four components of national power – diplomatic, information, military, and economic – of a nation's implicit or explicit space strategy. Military space forces fundamentally exist to protect, defend, and preserve this freedom of action.
- Enable Joint Lethality and Effectiveness: Space capabilities strengthen operations in the other domains of warfare and reinforce every Joint function – the US does not project or employ power without space. At the same time, military space forces must rely on military operations in the other domains to protect and defend space freedom of action. Military space forces operate as part of the closely integrated Joint Force across the entire conflict continuum in support of the full range of military operations.
- Provide Independent Options: A central tenet of military spacepower is the ability to independently achieve strategic effects. In this capacity, military spacepower is more than an adjunct to cyberpower. Across the conflict continuum, military spacepower provides national leadership with independent military options that advance the nation's prosperity and security. Military space forces achieve national objectives by projecting power in, from, and to space.
The cornerstone responsibilities are executed through the five military spacepower core competencies:[11]
- Space Security: establishes and promotes stable conditions for the safe and secure access to space activities for civil, commercial, intelligence community, and multinational partners.
- Combat Power Projection: integrates defensive and offensive operations to maintain a desired level of freedom of action relative to an adversary. Combat Power Projection in concert with other competencies enhances freedom of action by deterring aggression or compelling an adversary to change behavior.
- Space Mobility and Logistics (SML): enables movement and support of military equipment and personnel in the space domain, from the space domain back to Earth, and to the space domain.
- Information Mobility: provides timely, rapid and reliable collection and transportation of data across the range of military operations in support of tactical, operational, and strategic decision making.
- Space Domain Awareness(SDA) encompasses the effective identification, characterization and understanding of any factor associated with the space domain that could affect space operations and thereby impact the security, safety, economy, or environment of our Nation.
History
Early military space development
Following the end of the World War II, each of the military services began to turn to space. General of the Army Henry H. Arnold, commander of the Army Air Forces identified spaceflight as a critical military capability, with each of the services developing parallel space and rocket programs.[12]
In 1954 the Air Force created the first dedicated space organization in the world, creating the
The launch of
However, the newly established
Military space operations in the Cold War
While the Air Force had overall leadership in space, the Army and Navy still had space missions, with the Army and Navy responsible for operating elements of
Space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man. And only if the United States occupies a position of preeminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theatre of war. I do not say that we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space, any more than we go unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea.[18]
Each of the military services also provided significant support to NASA's civil space program, with the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's Project Adam and Air Force's
Concerned by Soviet orbital flights, the Air Force strongly pushed for a crewed military spaceflight program. General Curtis LeMay drew parallels between space operations in the 1960s and air operations in World War I, describing how airplanes quickly evolved from peaceful chivalric, unarmed reconnaissance flights to combat efforts designed to destroy enemy air superiority and that it would be naive to believe that the same trends were not expected to be seen and prepared for in space. Although the Air Force made significant progress towards the development of the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, and Blue Gemini, ultimately political opposition from the Department of Defense prevented them from being operationally fielded.[16]
Although unsuccessful in fielding human military spacecraft, the Air Force and Army successfully led the development of anti-satellite weapons. The Air Force's Project SAINT was an early satellite inspector, which also had "satellite neutralization" capabilities, however it was canceled in 1962 by the Defense Department when details were leaked to The New York Times.[20] As the lead service for missile defense, the Army also developed the Nike Zeus anti-ballistic missile to have satellite interception capability. On 23 May 1963, a Nike Zeus launched from Kwajalein Atoll successfully intercepted an Agena-D target vehicle and was put on ready alert until 1964.[21] The Army's Nike Zeus ASAT was replaced by the Air Force's Program 437, which used nuclear-tipped Thor missile to intercept satellites, until the program was deactivated in 1975.[16]
The Strategic Defense Initiative and Persian Gulf War
Dissatisfied with the current status of military space operations within the Air Force, Representative
The establishment of U.S. Space Command, Air Force Space Command, and the
The
Despite the decisive role played by space forces during the Persian Gulf War, there were a number of Air Force generals who sought to merge air and space into a seamless aerospace continuum, to the determent of space. This drew the ire of prominent congressmen, with Senator Bob Smith, in particular, proposing an independent space force. Congress established the establishing the commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, better known as the Space Commission, to investigate the matter.[26]
Chaired by Donald Rumsfeld, the Space Commission released its report in 2001. Key recommendations included no longer exclusively assigning pilots to be commander of U.S. Space Command. The commission noted that fewer than 20% of top space leaders had a space background, with the majority being drawn from the pilot, Army Air Defense Artillery, or nuclear and missile operations and that the average individual had only spent 2.5 years of their careers in space positions. Ultimately, the Space Commission recommended the establishment of a separate Space Force as a military branch in the long term, with the establishment of a Space Corps, analogous to the Army Air Forces within the U.S. Air Force in the between 2007 and 2011.[27]
Space Force independence
Despite the recommendations of the Space Commission, the
Air Force Space Command provided direct support to Operation Enduring Freedom, enabling satellite communications, global positioning system enhancements, and deployed personnel to support counterterrorism operations. For Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Air Force Space Command deployed space operators to forward operating bases in the Middle East and the Defense Satellite Communications System provided 80% of bandwidth for allied forces in theater, while 85% of Milstar communications capacity was directed towards support of tactical forces.[31]
Following the inactivation of U.S. Space Command in 2002, Russia and China began developing sophisticated on-orbit capabilities and an array of counter-space weapons. In particular, China conducted the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test, destroying its Fengyun spacecraft, which, according to NASA, created 2,841 high-velocity debris items, a larger amount of dangerous space junk than any other space event in history.[32][33] On 29 August 2019, United States Space Command was reestablished as a geographic combatant command.[34] In 2008, U.S. Strategic Command conducted Operation Burnt Frost to destroy a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite, before its toxic hydrazine tank could reenter and cause potential harm to human safety, with a RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 launched from the USS Lake Erie.[35][36]
Growing impatient with the Air Force, Representatives
In March 2018, President
On 20 December 2019, President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 into law, which included legislative provisions for creation of the Space Force, under the United States Space Force Act.[53][54] The Space Force was established as the sixth armed service branch, with Air Force General John W. Raymond, the commander of Air Force Space Command and U.S. Space Command, becoming the first chief of space operations.[55] On 14 January 2020, Raymond was officially sworn in as chief of space operations by Vice President Mike Pence.[56]
The sixth service
Following independence, all of Air Force Space Command's 16,000 active duty airmen and civilian employees were transferred to the U.S. Space Force, including the
General Jay Raymond was followed into the service on 3 April 2020 by Chief Master Sergeant
The Space Force's first combat operations as a new service included providing early warning of Iranian
One of the major reasons for creating the Space Force was consolidating military space activities across the Department of Defense. The
In August 2023, the US Space Force formed a new combative unit, the 75th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (ISRS), which has been tasked with targeting satellites and ground stations that are part of adversary space forces and counter-space force threats (space attack forces), namely, space capabilities designed by the enemy to deny the United States the ability to use its satellite systems during conflict.[73]
Organization
The Space Force's field organizations consist of three different echelons of command:[74]
- Field commands (FLDCOM): Align with a specific mission focus and are typically led by a lieutenant general or major general, although smaller component field commands and Space Force elements may have officers ranging from lieutenant colonel to major general in command. Component field commands are the Space Force component to a unified combatant command.[75]
- Deltas are organized around a specific function, such as operations, training, or installation support and are typically led by a colonel. In rare cases, a delta may be commanded by a higher-ranking officer, such as a major general in the case of Space Launch Delta 45. Deltas are equivalent to an Air Force wing or an Army brigade combat team.
- Squadrons are focused on specific tactics and are led by a lieutenant colonel.
Each of the three major field commands has a distinctive color which is shared by its subordinate units. Space Operations Command is platinum, Space Systems Command is gold, and Space Training and Readiness Command is Cannes Blue.
Headquarters Space Force
The U.S. Space Force is organized under the Department of the Air Force, alongside the U.S. Air Force. Civilian leadership is provided by the Secretary of the Air Force and under secretary of the Air Force. The most important assistant secretary of the Air Force for the Space Force is the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, who is the only assistant secretary of the Air Force focused entirely on space and serves as the Space Force's service acquisition executive.[76]
Military leadership is provided by the
Field commands, Space Force elements, and direct reporting units
Name | Mission | Headquarters | |
---|---|---|---|
Field commands (FLDCOM)[81] | |||
Space Operations Command (SpOC) | Space Force forces command | Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado | |
Space Systems Command (SSC) | Engineering, acquisitions, and launch command | Los Angeles Air Force Base, California | |
Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) | Space training, test and evaluation, and doctrine development command | Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado | |
Component field commands (C-FLDCOM)[82] | |||
United States Space Forces – Space (SPACEFOR-SPACE) | U.S. Space Command component field command | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California | |
United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific (SPACEFOR-INDOPAC)
|
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command component field command | Hawai'i
| |
United States Space Forces Korea (SPACEFOR-KOR)[83]
|
U.S. Forces Korea component field command (subordinated to SPACEFOR-INDOPAC) | Osan Air Base, Korea | |
United States Space Forces Central (SPACEFOR-CENT)
|
U.S. Central Command component field command | MacDill Air Force Base, Florida | |
United States Space Forces Europe and Africa (USSPACEFOR-EURAF)
|
U.S. Africa Command component field command
|
Ramstein Air Base, Germany | |
Space Force elements (SFELM)[84] | |||
Space Force Element, National Reconnaissance Office (SFELM NRO) | National Reconnaissance Office Space Force component[85] | Chantilly, Virginia | |
Direct reporting units (DRU)[84] | |||
Space Rapid Capabilities Office | Expedited research, development and delivery of space capabilities. | Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico | |
Space Development Agency | Employment of the National Defense Space Architecture through commercial research, development and procurement |
The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. | |
Space Warfighting Analysis Center | Wargaming, force design | Washington, D.C. |
Deltas and program executive offices
Relationships with other space organizations
Department of the Air Force and U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Space Force derives a significant degree of support from the Department of the Air Force and the U.S. Air Force. The Space Force only consist of operators and acquisitions, relying on the Air Force to provide airmen in support or other niche specialties. Air Force Materiel Command provides major command support to airmen assigned to the Space Force. The Space Force and Air Force continue to share a number of different organizations, such as the United States Air Force Academy and Air Force Research Laboratory.[87]
Following the United States Space Force's establishment, calls have been made for the Department of the Air Force to rename itself the Department of the Air and Space Forces to acknowledge the Space Force, similar to calls made for the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The U.S. Space Force and NASA have a long history of cooperation, as the lead government agencies for military and civil spaceflight. The Space Force's predecessors in the Air Force, Navy, and Army provided NASA with its early space launch vehicles and most of its astronauts.[92]
The Space Force hosts NASA launch operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.[93][94] NASA occasionally hosts U.S. Space Force heavy launches out of Kennedy Space Center.[95] The Space Force continues to support NASA's human spaceflight missions with range support of Space Launch Delta 45 and tracks threats to the International Space Station and other crewed spacecraft.[96][97]
The Space Force and NASA partner on matters such as
National Reconnaissance Office
The
The USSF's
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Space Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) jointly operate the military's weather satellites.
The decision to transition space traffic management from the military to the Department of Commerce was made due to the significant growth in commercial spacecraft and to mirror how the Federal Aviation Administration, rather than the U.S. Air Force, handles air traffic management.[111]
Personnel and culture
Symbols
The Delta Symbol
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, scientists derived the rocket equation, which made spaceflight possible. In this equation, represents the change in velocity. In the 20th century, the Delta is used to represent a stylized aircraft, missile, or arrow. In 1940, the
After World War II, the delta began to be used by the space program, appearing on the joint
Guardians
Space Force service members have the title of Guardians, similar to how members of the U.S. Marine Corps are called Marines and members of the Air Force are called Airmen. The title of guardian traces its heritage to Air Force Space Command's 1983 motto Guardians of the High Frontier.[113] Prior to the announcement of Guardian as the service title on 18 December 2020, members of the Space Force were referred to as space professionals.[114]
Semper Supra
The Space Force's motto, Semper Supra – "Always Above".[115] It mirrors the mottos of the Marine Corps (Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful) and Coast Guard (Semper Paratus – Always Ready).[116][117] The Space Force's service song takes its name from the motto.[118]
Specialties and badges
Space Operations |
Intelligence |
Cyberspace Operations |
Acquisition and engineering |
---|---|---|---|
Officer | |||
|
|
|
|
Enlisted | |||
|
|
|
Space operators are the largest career field in the Space Force and comprise much of its senior leadership.[119] Space operations officers are responsible for leading the Space Force's space operations forces. Space operations officers (13S) are responsible for planning and leading space combat operations across orbital warfare, space electromagnetic warfare, space battle management, and space access and sustainment spacepower disciplines. They also formulate space operations policy, coordinate space operations, and plan, organize, and direct space operations programs.[120][121] Enlisted Space Systems Operators (5S) are responsible for conducting orbital warfare, space electromagnetic warfare, space battle management, and space access and sustainment operations.[122][123] Space operations officers and enlisted space systems operators are awarded the Space Operations Badge after completing the 533rd Training Squadron's Undergraduate Space Training program at Vandenberg Space Force Base, with follow-on education provided by the 319th Combat Training Squadron and National Security Space Institute.[124]
The Space Force currently has two
Intelligence officers (14N) lead the Space Force's
Cyberspace effects operations officers (17S) are responsible for operating cyberspace weapons systems, satellite communications systems, and commanding cyber crews.[133] They lead enlisted Cyberspace Operations guardians.[134] Cyberspace effects operations officers and enlisted cyberspace operators are awarded the cyberspace operator badge after completing Undergraduate Cyber Training with the Air Force's 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, with follow-on education provided by the 319th Combat Training Squadron and National Security Space Institute.[135]
Acquisition and engineering are officer only career fields within the Space Force. Specific developmental engineers (62E) include
Spacepower disciplines
The U.S. Space Force has seven core spacepower disciplines which its personnel gain experience in:[11]
- Orbital Warfare: Knowledge of orbital maneuver as well as offensive and defensive fires to preserve freedom of access to the domain. Skill to ensure United States and coalition space forces can continue to provide capability to the Joint Force while denying that same advantage to the adversary.
- Space Electromagnetic Warfare: Knowledge of spectrum awareness, maneuver within the spectrum, and non-kinetic fireswithin the spectrum to deny adversary use of vital links. Skill to manipulate physical access to communication pathways and awareness of how those pathways contribute to enemy advantage.
- Space Battle Management: Knowledge of how to orient to the space domain and skill in making decisions to preserve mission, deny adversary access, and ultimately ensure mission accomplishment. Ability to identify hostile actions and entities, conduct combat identification, target, and direct action in response to an evolving threat environment.
- Space Access and Sustainment: Knowledge of processes, support, and logistics required to maintain and prolong operations in the space domain. Ability to resource, apply, and leverage spacepower in, from, and to the space domain.
- intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissancecapabilities needed to defend the space domain.
- Engineering and Acquisition: Knowledge that ensures military spacepower has the best capabilities in the world to defend the space domain. Ability to form science, technology, and acquisition partnerships with other national security space organizations, commercial entities, Allies, and academia to ensure the warfighters are properly equipped.
- offensive capabilities.
Rank structure
Officers
The premier commissioning route for Space Force officers is through the U.S. Air Force Academy, a
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program is offered at 1,100 colleges and universities. Like the Air Force Academy, it commissions officers directly into either the Air Force or Space Force.[151] The Air Force Officer Training School is the final path to commission into the Space Force, graduating its first two Space Force officers on 16 October 2020 and its first all-Space Force flight graduating on 17 March 2023.[152][153]
The Space Force partners with
US DoD
pay grade |
O-10 | O-9 | O-8 | O-7 | O-6 | O-5 | O-4 | O-3 | O-2 | O-1 | Officer candidate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NATO code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | |
Insignia | Various insignia | ||||||||||
Service dress uniform (Class A) | |||||||||||
Title | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Cadet / Officer trainee |
Abbreviation | Gen | Lt Gen | Maj Gen | Brig Gen | Col | Lt Col | Maj | Capt | 1st Lt | 2d Lt | Cdt / OT |
Enlisted
Space Force enlisted members are enrolled in the Community College of the Air Force, earning an associate in applied science degree.[164] Professional military education is conducted at Space Training and Readiness Command's Forrest L. Vosler Non-Commissioned Officer Academy.[165] Other educational opportunities for enlisted members include the 319th Combat Training Squadron, National Security Space Institute, Advanced Instructor Course and the Space Test Course.[166][159]
The Space Force's enlisted rank design is centered on a hexagon, representing the Space Force's status as the sixth military service in the Armed Forces. The horizontal stripes for Specialist 2, 3, and 4 were inspired by an early proposal for Air Force enlisted ranks known as "Vandenberg stripes". The delta represents the Space Force. The specialist stripes represent terra firma, the solid foundation of skills upon which the Space Force is built. Noncommissioned officer insignia feature traditional chevrons and the "Delta, Globe, and Orbit," representing the totality of the Space Force. Finally, senior noncommissioned officer insignia are topped with "orbital chevrons", representing low Earth orbit for master sergeants, medium Earth orbit for senior master sergeants, and geosynchronous orbit for chief master sergeants. These orbital chevrons signify the higher levels of responsibility and willingness to explore and innovate placed upon senior noncommissioned officers. Finally, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force is represented by a "Delta, Globe, and Orbit" in a hexagonal wreath.[167]
-
Vice Chief of Space Operations General David D. Thompson swears in the first four enlisted Space Force recruits on 20 October 2020
-
The first seven enlisted guardians graduate from Basic Military Training on 10 December 2020
US DoD pay grade
|
Special | E-9 | E-8 | E-7 | E-6 | E-5 | E-4 | E-3 | E-2 | E-1 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||
Insignia | |||||||||||
Title | Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman | Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Sergeant | Specialist 4 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 1 |
Abbreviation | SEAC | CMSSF | CMSgt | SMSgt | MSgt | TSgt | Sgt | Spc4 | Spc3 | Spc2 | Spc1 |
Uniforms
Air Force Mess Dress Uniform (interim) | Service Dress Uniform Class "A" |
Service Uniform Class "B" |
Air Force Service Dress Uniform (interim) | OCP Uniform | Physical Training Uniform | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Space Force is currently in the process of developing its unique mess dress, service dress, and physical training uniforms.[168] In the interim period, guardians wear the Air Force Mess Dress, Air Force Service Dress, and Air Force Service uniforms with the following modifications:[169]
- Space Force insignia on the coat/shirt
- Replaced "Hap Arnold Star & Wings" buttons with "Delta, Globe, & Orbit" buttons
- Replaced Air Force Great Seal of the United States service cap badges with Space Force Delta, Globe, and Orbit service cap badges
- Replaced Air Force nametag with Space Force hexagonal nametag
- Space Force enlisted rank worn in place of Air Force enlisted ranks (enlisted only)
- Replaced Circle U.S. lapel insignia with Hexagonal U.S. insignia (enlisted only)
The primary Space Force uniform is the OCP Uniform, adopted from the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army. The Space Force uses unique "space blue" thread for ranks and badges, wears a full color flag on the left sleeve, and wears full color patches.[170]
The Space Force's distinctive blue and gray service dress uniform was unveiled at the Air & Space Forces Association's 2021 Air, Space, and Cyber conference. The dark blue was taken from the Space Force's seal and represents the vastness of outer space, while the six buttons represent that the U.S. Space Force is the sixth armed service.[171] The Space Force's Physical Training Uniform was unveiled in September 2021. As of April 2023, the Space Force stated that the Physical Training Uniform would be available by early 2024 and that the Service Dress Uniform would be available by late 2025.[172]
Space Force cadets at the Air Force Academy wear the same uniform as Air Force cadets; however, in their distinctive blue and white parade dress uniforms they wear a platinum sash in place of the gold sash worn by Air Force cadets.[173]
Awards and decorations
As part of the United States Department of the Air Force, the United States Space Force and United States Air Force share the same awards and decorations or same variations of awards and decorations.[174]
On 16 November 2020, the Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall III renamed the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Air Force Recognition Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Ribbons, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, Air Force Longevity Service Award, and the Air Force Training Ribbon to replace "Air Force" with "Air and Space" to include the Space Force. He also eliminated Air Force from the Air Force Combat Action Medal and renamed the Air Force Special Duty Ribbon to the Developmental Special Duty Ribbon.[175]
The Space Force is currently in the process of developing a Space Force Good Conduct Medal to replace the Air Force Good Conduct Medal for enlisted members which was approved on 30 August 2023.[176][177] Congress has also debated changing the Airman's Medal, awarded for non-combat heroism, to the Air and Space Force Medal, mirroring the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.[178]
Arctic "A" Device | Arrowhead Device
|
Combat "C" Device | Oak leaf cluster | Remote "R" Device | Service Star
|
Valor "V" Device | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decorations
Medal of Honor | Air Force Cross | Distinguished Service Medal | Silver Star Medal
|
Legion of Merit | Distinguished Flying Cross | Airman's Medal | Bronze Star Medal | Purple Heart | Meritorious Service Medal | Air Medal | Aerial Achievement Medal | Air and Space Commendation Medal
|
Air and Space Achievement Medal
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit awards
Presidential Unit Citation | Gallant Unit Citation | Meritorious Unit Award | Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award | Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award |
---|---|---|---|---|
Campaign, expeditionary, and service awards
Combat Action Medal | Combat Readiness Medal | Space Force Good Conduct Medal
|
Air and Space Recognition Ribbon | Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal | Air and Space Campaign Medal | Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal | Air and Space Overseas Service Ribbon (Short Tour)
|
Air and Space Overseas Service Ribbon (Long Tour)
|
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon | Air and Space Longevity Service Award | Developmental Special Duty Ribbon | Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon
|
Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Ribbon
|
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
|
Air and Space Training Ribbon | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Locations
Continental United States
Installations and locations in the contiguous United States.
Overseas
Name | Location | Space Base Delta or primary unit emblem | Space Base Deta or primary unit | Major units |
---|---|---|---|---|
Clear Space Force Station | United States (Alaska) | 13th Space Warning Squadron | ||
Kaena Point Space Force Station | United States (Hawaii) | 21st Space Operations Squadron (Detachment 3) | ||
Maui Space Surveillance Complex | United States (Hawaii) | 15th Space Surveillance Squadron[179] | ||
Pituffik Space Base | Greenland | 821st Space Base Group
|
12th Space Warning Squadron |
Spacecraft and space systems
Spacecraft
Name | Spacecraft image | Mission | Operator | Number |
---|---|---|---|---|
Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8[180] | 6[119] | |
Advanced Technology Risk Reduction (ATRR)
|
Space surveillance[181]
|
Space Delta 9[182] | 1[119] | |
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) | Environmental monitoring | Space Delta 2[183] | 4[119] | |
Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8[180] | 6[119] | |
Defense Support Program (DSP) | Missile warning[184]
|
Space Delta 4 | ||
Electro-optical/Infrared Weather System – Geosynchronous (EWS-G)[185]
|
Environmental monitoring | Space Delta 2[183] | ||
Fleet Satellite Communications System (FLTSAT) | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8 | ||
Global Positioning System (GPS) | Positioning, navigation, and timing
|
PNT IMD (P) | 32[119] | |
Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP)
|
Space surveillance[186]
|
Space Delta 9[182] | 6[119] | |
Milstar | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8[180] | 5[119] | |
Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8 | ||
Operationally Responsive Space-5 (ORS-5)
|
Space surveillance[187]
|
Space Delta 9[182] | 1[119] | |
Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) | Space Delta 4 | 7[119] | ||
Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) | Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 9[182] | 1[119] | |
Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UFO)
|
Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8 | ||
Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) | Satellite communications
|
Space Delta 8[180] | 10[119] | |
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
|
Orbital test spaceplane
|
Space Delta 9[182] | 2[189] |
Space systems
Name | Space system image | Mission | Operator |
---|---|---|---|
AN/FPS-85
|
Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 2 | |
C-Band Space Surveillance Radar System[190] | Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 2 | |
Cobra Dane | Space surveillance[191]
|
Space Delta 4 | |
Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS)
|
Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 2[183] | |
Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) | Space surveillance[192]
|
Space Delta 4[193] | |
Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS)
|
Space surveillance[194]
|
Space Delta 4 | |
Satellite Control Network (SCN) | Ground station | Space Delta 6 | |
Space Fence | Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 2 | |
Space Surveillance Telescope[183] | Space surveillance
|
Space Delta 2 | |
Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR)
|
Space surveillance[195]
|
Space Delta 4 |
Space launch vehicles
Name | Space launch vehicle image | Class | Contractor |
---|---|---|---|
Atlas V | Medium-lift launch vehicle | United Launch Alliance | |
Electron | Small-lift launch vehicle | Rocket Lab | |
Falcon 9 | Medium to Heavy-lift launch vehicle | SpaceX | |
Falcon Heavy | Heavy to Super heavy-lift launch vehicle | SpaceX | |
Pegasus | Air launched small-lift launch vehicle | Northrop Grumman |
Modernization and budget
United States Space Force Budget | 2020[196] | 2021[197] | 2022[198] | 2023 (Enacted)[199] | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operation & Maintenance | $40,000,000 | $2,492,114,000 | $3,611,012,000 | $4,086,883,000 | TBA |
Procurement | — | $2,310,994,000 | $2,787,354,000 | $4,462,188,000 | $3,752,194,000 |
Research, Development, Test & Evaluation | — | $10,540,069,000 | $11,794,566,000 | $16,631,377,000 | $19,551,449,000 |
Military Personnel | — | — | — | $1,109,400,000 | TBA |
Total | $40,000,000 | $15,343,177,000 | $18,192,932,000 | $26,289,848,000 | TBA |
While a new service, the U.S. Space Force is undergoing intensive modernization efforts. The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) is intended to track objects in geosynchronous orbit with three sites, one in the United States, one in the Indo-Pacific, and one in Europe.[200]
Oracle, a spacecraft developed by the
Also an Air Force Research Laboratory program for the Space Force, Arachne is the keystone experiment in the
The Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), building on the Space Force's Global Positioning System constellation, is an Air Force Research Laboratory spacecraft that will operate in geosynchronous orbit to test advanced techniques and technologies to detect and mitigate interference to positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities and increase system resiliency for military, civil, and commercial users. NTS-3 is a Vanguard program, which mark potentially game changing technologies.[204]
The Space Force's Rocket Cargo program is another Air Force Research Laboratory Vanguard program, which is focused on leasing space launch services to quickly transport military materiel to ports across the globe. If proven viable, the Space Force's Space Systems Command is responsible for transitioning it to a program of record. United States Transportation Command would be the primary user of this capability, rapidly launching up to 100 tons of cargo anywhere in the world.[205]
Public image and reception
Despite the increasing military threats in space and the reorganization of the Russian Space Forces and the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, the U.S. Space Force has had significant challenges with its public image.[206][207]
One major challenge was perceived ties to former President
A second challenge was highlighted in the January 2021 article in the
-
U.S. Space Force
See also
- National Security Space Launch
- Air & Space Forces Association
- Militarization of space
- Space Force Association
- Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War
- Strategic Defense Initiative
- Women in the United States Space Force
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Further reading
- Hardwick, C. Stuart, ed. (2024). Tales of the United States Space Force. Riverdale, NY: Baen Books. OCLC 1405189278. Forthcoming anthology of fiction and nonfiction about the U.S. Space Force.