Military Space Spacecraft, Weapons and Tech

X-37B at Vandenberg Air Force Base Runway
An X-37B robotic space plane sits on the Vandenberg Air Force base runway during post-landing operations on Dec. 3, 2010. Personnel in self-contained protective atmospheric suits conduct initial checks on the robot space vehicle after its landing. (Image credit: U.S. Air Force/Michael Stonecypher)

Military forces have a long association with spaceflight, with modern rockets evolving from missiles developed during World War II. Today's armed forces rely on space-based assets for reconnaissance, weather tracking, communication, navigation and more. The U.S. Air Force regularly launches GPS and missile-defense tracking satellites, and operates two classified X-37B robotic space planes. Learn more about military satellites, space weapon, the Space Force and more here.

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