Agencies & public sector
United States Space Force
The sixth branch of the United States armed forces, stood up in December 2019 to run military satellites, missile warning, GPS and national security launch.
The United States Space Force is the sixth branch of the United States armed forces, established on 20 December 2019 by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 and organised under the Department of the Air Force. It is headquartered at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, its members are called Guardians, and its motto is Semper Supra, or 'Always above'. Three field commands carry the service: Space Force Combat Forces Command and Space Training and Readiness Command at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, and Space Systems Command at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. On 3 November 2025 Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman redesignated Space Operations Command as Combat Forces Command, a change the command said aligned its name with 'forging combat-ready Space Forces for America and its allies', and Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon took charge of it.
Scale is the service's live argument, and the published figures do not agree. Defense One reported on 23 January 2026 that the Space Force fields about 10,000 uniformed Guardians and about 5,000 civilians, that the satellites under its control had grown from 225 at its founding to 515, and that its budget had risen from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026 including reconciliation funds; Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Shawn Bratton said the service should add about 1,000 people a year for a decade because 'I think we really need to double the size'. Air & Space Forces Magazine put the budget at $36.1 billion in August 2026, against $26.1 billion when Saltzman took the job, while the Christian Science Monitor on 30 July 2026 reported a 2026 budget of $31.6 billion and a proposed $71 billion for 2027. The fiscal 2027 request would add 2,800 Guardians.
Day to day the service operates the Global Positioning System, the classified X-37B spaceplane and the Pentagon's national security launch account. The eighth X-37B flight, OTV-8, launched on a Falcon 9 on 22 August 2025 with a laser communications demonstration in low Earth orbit and a quantum inertial sensor reported as the highest performing ever used in space. The final GPS III satellite, SV10, reached orbit on 21 April 2026 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, leaving 32 active spacecraft in a 38-satellite constellation; Mission Delta 31 commander Col. Stephen Hobbs said closing out the block was 'a foundation for what comes next'. In April 2026 the service disclosed $3.2 billion across 20 contracts to 12 companies, among them Anduril Industries, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, SpaceX and True Anomaly, for the space-based interceptors of the Golden Dome missile defence programme, with an initial capability demonstration targeted for 2028.
The record carries setbacks alongside the launches. Space Systems Command grounded United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur under the National Security Space Launch programme in late February 2026 over persistent solid rocket booster nozzle problems, moved GPS III SV-10 to a SpaceX Falcon 9, and pushed Vulcan's USSF-70 mission to no earlier than summer 2028. The Space Development Agency, whose low-orbit constellation the service is counting on, paused Tranche 1 launches for nine months after software and hardware faults on the satellites already flying, and the Government Accountability Office reported in January 2026 that the programme 'is at risk of being unable to deliver capability as quickly as planned'. Saltzman held his retirement ceremony on 13 August 2026 after 35 years in uniform, with Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess due to take over as Chief of Space Operations at a change of responsibility on 3 September 2026.
What they build and operate
- Global Positioning System · Constellation · Operational
Military and civil navigation constellation; the final GPS III satellite, SV10, launched on 21 April 2026, leaving 32 active spacecraft in a 38-satellite constellation in medium Earth orbit.[7] - X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle · Spacecraft · Operational
Reusable robotic spaceplane flying classified missions; OTV-8 launched on a Falcon 9 on 22 August 2025 carrying a laser communications demonstration and a quantum inertial sensor.[2] - National Security Space Launch · Programme · Operational
Launch procurement programme run by Space Systems Command; it grounded ULA's Vulcan Centaur in late February 2026 over solid rocket booster nozzle problems and moved GPS III SV-10 to SpaceX.[5] - Golden Dome space-based interceptors · Programme · In development
Boost-phase missile intercept effort; $3.2 billion across 20 contracts went to 12 companies, with an initial capability demonstration targeted for 2028.[8] - Space Development Agency transport layer · Constellation · In development
Proliferated low-orbit data relay constellation; the first Tranche 1 batches flew in autumn 2025, then launches paused nine months before 21 more satellites were set to fly on 18 July 2026.[9]
Milestones
- 20 December 2019
Established as the sixth branch of the United States armed forces by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, under the Department of the Air Force.[1] - 22 August 2025
OTV-8, the eighth X-37B mission, launched on a Falcon 9 carrying a laser communications demonstration and a quantum inertial sensor.[2] - 03 November 2025
Space Operations Command redesignated as Space Force Combat Forces Command, with Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon assuming command.[3] - February 2026
Grounded ULA's Vulcan Centaur under the National Security Space Launch programme over persistent solid rocket booster nozzle problems, delaying the USSF-70 mission to no earlier than summer 2028.[5] - 21 April 2026
GPS III SV10, the last satellite of the GPS III block, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.[7] - 24 April 2026
Disclosed $3.2 billion across 20 contracts to 12 companies for Golden Dome space-based interceptors, with a capability demonstration targeted for 2028.[8] - July 2026
Space Development Agency prepared to resume Tranche 1 launches after a nine-month pause for on-orbit software and hardware faults, following a January 2026 Government Accountability Office warning about the schedule.[9] - 13 August 2026
Gen. B. Chance Saltzman held his retirement ceremony after 35 years in uniform, with Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess set to take over on 3 September 2026.[11]
Facilities
- The Pentagon · Arlington County, Virginia, United States
Service headquarters, alongside the Department of the Air Force.[1] - Peterson Space Force Base · Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Home of Space Force Combat Forces Command and Space Training and Readiness Command.[1][3] - Los Angeles Air Force Base · El Segundo, California, United States
Home of Space Systems Command, which runs launch and satellite acquisition.[1][5] - Cape Canaveral Space Force Station · Florida, United States
East coast launch range; the final GPS III satellite lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 there on 21 April 2026.[7] - Vandenberg Space Force Base · California, United States
West coast launch range used for Space Development Agency Tranche 1 missions.[9]
Leadership
- B. Chance Saltzman
Chief of Space Operations, serving through the end of August 2026 (as of 13 August 2026)[11][1] - Douglas A. Schiess
Incoming Chief of Space Operations, change of responsibility set for 3 September 2026 (as of 13 August 2026)[11] - Troy Meink
Secretary of the Air Force, the department the Space Force sits under (as of 13 August 2026)[11]
Sources
WikipediaUnited States Space Forceen.wikipedia.org
WikipediaOTV-8en.wikipedia.org
Air & Space Forces MagazineSpace Force Rebrands SpOC as Combat Forces Commandairandspaceforces.com
Defense OneSpace Force probably needs twice as many guardians, vice chief saysdefenseone.com
Breaking DefenseSpace Force shifts GPS III launch from ULA to SpaceXbreakingdefense.com
Air & Space Forces MagazineBudget Calls for More Airmen, More Guardians in 2027airandspaceforces.com
Spaceflight NowSpaceX launches final GPS III satellite for the U.S. Space Forcespaceflightnow.com
Air & Space Forces MagazineUSSF Reveals $3.2B for Golden Dome Space-Based Interceptorsairandspaceforces.com
Defense OneSpace Development Agency resumes key satellite launches after delays, watchdog criticismsdefenseone.com
The Christian Science MonitorSeeking to double its budget, Space Force readies for next frontier of warfarecsmonitor.com
Air & Space Forces MagazineSaltzman Prepares to Leave 'Battle-Tested' Space Forceairandspaceforces.com
Coverage of United States Space Force
Commercial launch
FAA’s 4,288-operation high case is not a US launch count
The agency’s upper scenario covers commercial launches and re-entries through fiscal 2036, including US-licensed activity abroad. It still points to heavier work for licensing teams, busy ranges and shared airspace.
Military space acquisition
Rocket Lab’s $397m Flatellite award spans satellites, Neutron launch and operations
The Space Force deal covers multiple spacecraft and includes an option for more, but the number of Flatellites, Neutron flights and launch dates remain undisclosed. SB-AMTI’s later operational capability depends on programme-wide sensing, processing and orchestration work.
U.S.-Japan space security
U.S.-Japan GEO sensor pair is in orbit, but readiness remains unconfirmed
The second U.S. optical payload launched with Japan’s QZS-7, completing the two-launch plan. The Space Force named an operator and data destination but did not announce first light, checkout completion or operational acceptance.
Military satellite communications
Space Force awards five vendors to test shared data-network interfaces
Five companies will each receive a $12 million prototype package to show that independently built satellites and terminals can exchange data through the Space Data Network. The demonstrations are integration tests, not orders for an operational fleet, and they sit beside a separate $2.29 billion backbone award made to SpaceX in May.
Defence satellites
Viasat selects Rocket Lab bus for its first PTS-G satellite
Lightning-GEO supplies the spacecraft platform around Viasat’s X/Ka-band payload. Viasat remains the Space Force prime, and no follow-on satellite order was disclosed.
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