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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Latest about military space

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Launches & Spacecraft
a man in a black military dress uniform speaks on a stage in front of an image of earth seen from space

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By Brett Tingley published

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Launches & Spacecraft
Artist's illustration of a U.S. GPS satellite, an increasingly frequent target for jamming, in orbit around Earth.

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By Tereza Pultarova published

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Satellites
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Satellites
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By Andrew Jones published

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Satellites
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Tech
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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.

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Missions
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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
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