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.

Related Topics: NASA

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Latest about military space

clouds can be seen beneath the curvature of earth under a dark blue sky at the edge of space

DARPA accidentally detects SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket reentry by listening to Earth's atmosphere

By Brett Tingley published

Researchers with the U.S. military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have successfully used Earth's atmosphere as a sensor to detect a distant disturbance.

Tech
Maj. David Reifenberg, combat rescue officer drop zone controller, 308th Rescue Squadron, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, free falls from a Joint Base Charleston C-17 Globemaster III, as Senior Master Sgt. George Reed, pararescueman, 308 RQS prepares to jump, during a Human Space Flight Support airdrop search and rescue exercise Jan 15, 2025, near Patrick SFB, Fla.

US military practices rescuing astronauts from the sea (photos)

By Julian Dossett published

A U.S. military joint task force did some training recently off the Florida coast, preparing to help rescue astronauts from the ocean if need be.

Missions
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Steven E. Vera, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard non-commissioned officer in charge of technical training, trains 45 augmentees on marching in preparation for the Jan. 20 Presidential Inauguration at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., on Jan. 8, 2025. This marks the first time the Space Force will participate in a presidential inauguration, a significant milestone for the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Space Force to march in Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, a 1st for the new military branch

By Julian Dossett published

On Jan. 20, the U.S. Space Force will participate in the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, a first for the nation's newest military branch.

Missions
Chief of Space Operations U.S. Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman and distinguished guests stand in front of a radar dome belonging to the 23rd Space Operations Squadron Detachment 1 at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland on April 5, 2023. Det. 1's mission is to provide telemetry, tracking and commanding operations to the U.S. and allied government satellite programs.

What is the US Space Force doing in Greenland?

By Julian Dossett published

The United States' northernmost military installation is critical for national security, Space Force officials say.

Missions
a spacecraft with two stubby wings flies above a blue-and-white planet with an orange glow surrounding it

Space Force's secretive X-37B space plane soars past 1 year in orbit

By Leonard David published

The U.S. Space Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) has silently slipped past one-year of flight time.

Tech

What is DARPA?

By Julian Dossett last updated

Reference Everything you need to know about the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Reference
The emblem of the United States Space Force.

US Space Force 5 years later: What has it accomplished so far, and where does it go from here?

By Brett Tingley published

As the U.S. Space Force celebrates its fifth anniversary, the service's leadership looked back on its accomplishments so far while looking ahead to the future.

Launches & Spacecraft
a black-and-white rocket launches at night above a bright plume of fire

Rocket Lab's secretive launch last month was a hypersonic test for the US military (photos)

By Mike Wall published

Rocket Lab's pioneering suborbital launch last month conducted hypersonic tests for the U.S. military, the company has revealed.

Launches & Spacecraft
a rocket launches at night above a plume of fire

US military test-launches unarmed nuclear missile on election night (video)

By Brett Tingley published

The United States military test-launched an unarmed nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 5, 2024.

Launches & Spacecraft
a yellow and white rocket launches from a seaside pad

Japan launches military communications satellite on 4th flight of H3 rocket (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

Japan launched the Kirameki 3 military communications satellite Monday morning (Nov. 4), on the fourth-ever flight of the country's H3 rocket.

Launches & Spacecraft
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives