May 31, 2023 A Mission Out of This World: The Benefield Anechoic Facility tests first space satellite in decades The Benefield Anechoic Facility recently tested its first space satellite in decades. Anticipated to launch in late 2023, Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) will be the Department of Defense’s first experimental, integrated navigation satellite system in nearly 50 years.
Nov. 18, 2022 AFRL breaks ground on new FORTRESS space lab The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, held a ground-breaking ceremony, Nov. 16, 2022, beginning construction on the Facility for Radiation Tolerance Research on Electronics for Space and Strategic Systems, or FORTRESS, a 6,200-square-foot, $4.5 million facility, located adjacent to the AFRL
Nov. 4, 2022 SpaceWERX awards 124 Orbital Prime contracts The SpaceWERX Orbital Prime program awarded 124 Phase 1 contracts from June 15 to Sept. 22, 2022, each with a five-month term valued at $250,000.
Oct. 18, 2022 AFRL’s Ascent satellite marks end of mission objectives The Air Force Research Laboratory's small satellite named Ascent has completed all of its mission objectives and is performing extended operations to characterize the survivability of the commercial-off-the-shelf, or COTS, bus electronics in the geosynchronous Earth orbit, or GEO, space environment.
Oct. 6, 2022 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year recognized during Air Force’s season of celebrations The 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 were recognized and honored during the Air Force’s 75th Anniversary week and the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 15-21.
Sept. 27, 2022 AFRL commander moderates future of propulsion panel at AFA Air, Space, Cyber Conference Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory commander, moderated a future of propulsion panel comprised of Air Force experts Sept. 21, 2022, during the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National
May 26, 2022 AFRL sponsorship recipient wins NASA space manufacturing contract Air Force Research Laboratory research sponsorship recipient, United Semiconductors, LLC (USLLC), is one of eight companies selected to work on a three-year $21 million NASA contract to manufacture tools in space.
April 21, 2022 AFRL, ABL Space Systems demonstrate rapid operation of launch systems The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, and ABL Space Systems are collaborating to demonstrate how launch systems can be operated rapidly by small teams from nontraditional sites.
April 20, 2022 National radiation electronics expert brings value to AFRL Space program An Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate expert was presented the prestigious Peter Haas award at the 2022 Hardened Electronics and Radiation Technology (HEART) Conference held March in Tarrytown, New York. Dr. Robert “Bob” Pugh has worked in radiation-hardened electronics with
June 24, 2021 AFRL leaps forward in NTS-3 spacecraft development The Air Force Research Laboratory is excited to announce that the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) satellite navigation program is closer in the development of the spacecraft for its in-space demonstration, thanks to the delivery of its bus that will carry it to space in 2023.
June 17, 2021 AFRL’s DSX spacecraft ends orbit with a team celebration After 706 days of successful on-orbit operations, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) spacecraft completed its end of life May 31, exceeding the originally planned mission by nearly a year.
May 24, 2021 AFRL opens Space Warfighting Operations Research and Development (SWORD) Laboratory KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFRL) - The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate held a ribbon cutting ceremony May 20 to celebrate the opening of its newest facility, the Space Warfighting Operations Research and Development, or SWORD, laboratory. Col. Eric Felt, the director of
April 9, 2021 A Look Back…Recoverable Rocket Boosters--A Future That Never Was The idea of making flight into space as routine as atmospheric flight has been around since the 1930’s when Eugen Sänger first published detailed information about his ideas for a suborbital, winged vehicle, capable of delivering a payload halfway around the world using a skip-glide technique that
Feb. 5, 2021 Space exhibit touches down at Air Force museum WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — The newest temporary exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the stuff of dreams – for children and adults.The “Space: A Journey to Our Future” exhibit, which opened Jan. 28 and closes Sept. 6, is spread over
Jan. 20, 2021 AFRL’s Starfire Optical Range discovers asteroid satellite KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFRL) - “I was wrong,” said Air Force Research Laboratory researcher, Dr. Jack Drummond, when looking back to his early research on asteroids and their orbiting moons. Drummond is an astronomer at AFRL’s Directed Energy Directorate Starfire Optical Range (SOR) located