SPACE FORCE

After nearly three years, the newest branch of the U.S. military has its own service song. >> Read more trending newsThe Space Force debuted its official song on Tuesday during the 2022 Air Force Associated, Air, Space and Cyber Conference being held in Maryland. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond introduced the song in a video saying, “We wanted a song that spoke to our guardians, that brought to life our motto, ‘Semper Supra,’” Air Force Times reported. Eventually, with the help of the Coast Guard, the Space Force had its song. The process to pen the song started about the same time the Space Force was created in 2019.

NASA said the latest hydrogen leak on its Artemis I moon rocket should now be fixed, but mission managers still have to test it and that’s why the launch team needs the additional time.

The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez is the 14th school to team up with the U.S. Space Force for its University Partnership Program. The program aims to educate and recruit the future workforce.

The system, which is designed to destroy the SLS rocket if it veers off course and threatens population centers, needs to be recharged every few weeks.

With years of delays, News 6 has asked NASA's senior vehicle operations manager many times about the possible rollout dates and launch windows.

An Ocala man is arrested in Brevard County under strange circumstances.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — United Launch Alliance is set to launch its Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-12 mission Friday from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch time will be released closer to the launch date. The USSF-12 mission will include two satellite payloads: the Wide Field of View Testbed spacecraft for Space Force’s Space Sensing Directorate and the USSF-12 Ring spacecraft for the Defense Department’s Space Test Program. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 34 ULA Atlas V USSF-12 Mission (Alexander Polimeni/United Launch Alliance)ULA said it forecasts a 70% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

VIDEO: Space Force could bring changes to Space CoastBREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill that would create a Space National Guard. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the bill, titled the Space National Guard Establishment Act, that would create a Space National Guard. READ: Florida leaders urge Air Force to select Space Coast as home for STARCOMThe branch would place Air National Guard members under the Space Force command structure to conduct U.S. Space Force missions. In a news release, Rubio said, “Creating a Space National Guard would boost our military readiness and increase efficiency. Creating a Space Force National Guard would also save money and ensure a smoother process in the event we need to activate personnel.

Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, showed off the latest prototype of the service's dress uniform during a Senate hearing.

The students, who study with the Department of Anthropology, will eventually present their findings at a conference.

The satirical Netflix series returns with more out-of-this-world laughs

The U.S. Space Force created under Trump could have a partner as Australia takes a step toward creating its own.

From returning greats to brand new shows, these are the best upcoming sci-fi TV shows for 2022.

Space Force forecasters are expecting favorable conditions for the Thursday launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, this time flying with an Earth observation satellite.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Another rocket launch is set to blast off from the Space Coast. On Friday, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the USSF 8 mission. The rocket will fly in the 511 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, one solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage, ULA said. Read: SpaceX set to launch third ‘rideshare’ mission to orbit from Florida’s Space CoastThe launch window opens at 2 p.m. The rocket will blast off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Space Force weather forecasters anticipated favorable conditions for the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Turkish communications satellite this weekend.

The most powerful variant of an Atlas V rocket shot off its Cape Canaveral pad like a laser beam early Tuesday, taking several payloads on a mission overseen by the Space Force.

Two NASA payloads hitched a ride to orbit in a $1.14 billion Space Force mission.

China and Russia have regularly attacked U.S. space-based assets, so far causing "reversible" damage, a Space Force official has said.

Only about 10% of all Air Force military and civilian personnel responded to the survey, so the totals don't reflect the actual amount of violence. But, he added, that “even if that’s all there is, it’s too much,” and it's a problem the Air Force must address. That disconnect, said Air Force leaders, suggests an underlying leadership problem where those in command aren't perceiving or recognizing issues that need to be addressed. The Air Force has also introduced a pilot program to expand legal services for victims. It concluded that Black service members were far more likely to be investigated, arrested, face disciplinary actions and be discharged for misconduct.

A new report says more than half of Air Force and Space Force personnel who responded to a survey said they've experienced some type of mental or physical abuse in the past two years.

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Nearly 8,500 active duty members of the Air Force and Space Force have missed the deadline for getting COVID-19 vaccinations, including 800 who flatly refused and nearly 5,000 with pending requests for a religious exemption, the Air Force said Wednesday. The Air Force said that of the 326,000 active duty members of the Air Force and Space Force, 95.9 percent are fully vaccinated and 96.9 percent have gotten at least one shot. “A vaccinated force is a protected force, better able to deploy and to defend our interests anywhere at any time,” said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman. This is a readiness issue.”Tuesday was the Air Force deadline for all active duty members to receive vaccinations. The Air Force deadline was the first of all the military services, providing an initial glimpse into how America’s military will handle the mandate.

The Air Force says nearly 8,500 active duty members of the Air Force and Space Force have missed the deadline for getting COVID-19 vaccinations, including 800 who flatly refused and nearly 5,000 with pending requests for a religious exemption.

About a third of the female service members in the Air Force and Space Force say they've experienced sexual harassment, and minorities are underrepresented in leadership positions.

Air Force Bias FILE - In this June 6, 2021, file photo a soldier stands guard near Air Force Two at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The two reviews into racial, ethnic and gender disparities across the Air Force and Space Force broadly confirm that biases exist, but the data does not fully explain why. “There are a lot of disparities within the Air Force,” said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall in a call with reporters. It also found that about 25% of female Air Force and Space Force civilians said they had experienced sexual harassment during their careers. In addition, the report found that Native Americans were 113% more likely to face a court-martial than their White peers, and that they and Hispanic/Latino Air Force members were 33% more likely to face criminal investigations.

A new study finds that about a third of the female service members in the Air Force and Space Force say they’ve experienced sexual harassment and many can describe accounts of sexism and a stigma associated with pregnancy and maternity leave.

Having a dedicated space command will bring Australia into line with Canada, India, France and Japan, all of which recently created similar organisations within their armed forces.

A U.S. Space Force navigation satellite will hitch a ride into space Thursday on a reused Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

The U.S. Air Force has launched a Rocket Cargo program to study the use of commercial spacecraft to ship supplies around the world.

Commercial rockets may soon be capable of delivering military cargoes to destinations around the world.

Commercial rockets may soon be capable of delivering military cargoes to destinations around the world.

Sen. Ted Cruz's jab did not sit well with many critics, including many former service members, veterans groups and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel.

The United Launch Alliance is set to launch a military satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 41.

The Space Force said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier was removed "due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead."

The Space Force said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier was removed "due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead."

The Space Force said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier was removed "due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead."

The 45th Space Wing, which oversees Eastern Range launches from Florida, has a new name: Space Launch Delta 45.

There was no threat of space junk after all last week to a SpaceX crew on their way to the International Space Station.

At the Space.com forums, we've got a special giveaway going on for the community. One lucky winner will be walking away with an authentic U.S. Space Force silver coin, courtesy of the Space Store! To enter for your chance to win, let us know what you think the priorities should be for the U.S. Space Force (USSF). While you're at it, head over to our Mars thread to share some of that Perseverance rover excitement with the community. Join the Space.com forums to chat about the latest news and share your interests, theories, and opinions with a community of like-minded space enthusiasts!

“We are not revisiting the decision to establish the Space Force,” she said. Ad“Thousands of men and women proudly serve in the Space Force,” Psaki said. Space Force. “I am very proud of the guardians in the Space Force," Gen. Jay Raymond, chief of space operations, said at a virtual event with defense writers. Trump was very proud of Space Force and rarely delivered a speech without mentioning it.

(Photo by Samuel Corum-Pool/Getty Images)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida officials maintained Thursday they can still land Space Force operations and facilities, a day after the state was passed over for the command headquarters of the U.S. Space Command. The new primary target is the Space Training and Readiness Command field command, or STARCOM, which is set up to handle education, training and unit testing for Space Force. In December, Vice President Mike Pence announced the renaming of what are now Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base. Kuzma said Space Florida will continue to work on bringing aspects of Space Force to Florida, with the target being all or parts of STARCOM, which could be a larger facility than the headquarters. “STARCOM will build lethality by developing combat-ready space forces and space warfighting capabilities in order to innovate and dominate in all domains --- air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace,” a Space Force news release said last year.

The U.S. Air Force is expected to announce Huntsville, Ala. as the location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, according to Gov. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday that the new U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Huntsville, Alabama, after the state was selected over five others competing for the project, including Colorado, where Space Command is provisionally located. The role of Space Command is to conduct operations such as enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches. That is different from the Space Force, which is a distinct military service like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. “I couldn’t be more pleased to learn that Alabama will be the new home to the United States Space Command,” Alabama Republican Gov.

Within the Defense Department, the Air Force has the lion’s share of space programs and budget for space operations. Some Air Force missions have transferred to Space Force control or are in the process of doing so — last week, Vice President Mike Pence announced that Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base in Florida would change their names and become the first two Space Force installations. AdvertisementFor fiscal year 2021, the Space Force is requesting a budget transfer from the Air Force of $15.3 billion. And over time, as space programs from other services start consolidating into the Space Force, their budgets should follow. “You’ve already transferred thousands of individuals into the Space Force,” said Doug Loverro, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for space policy and a leading advocate of the Space Force before its inception.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday revealed Brevard County’s two Air Force bases have officially been renamed to be part of the U.S. Space Force branch. Pence landed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ahead of the National Space Council meeting at Kennedy Space Center, revealing the new names and a sign during a dedication ceremony. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the home of the 45th Weather Squadron, was renamed to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base is now Patrick Space Force Base. The 45th Space Wing, which includes Patrick and the Space Force Station, oversees the Eastern range and was re-assigned to the U.S. Space Force. Pence said Trump was inspired to establish Space Force due to growing international competition from China and Russia.

The Dragon spacecraft nicknamed Resilience will arrive at the International Space Station about 27 hours after launch, around 11 p.m. Monday. The Dragon spacecraft launch escape system is armed. 4:58 p.m. Space fans ready to watch Falcon 9 launchPeople in Titusville at Space View park came out to watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 15, 2020. SpaceX suit technicians known as SpaceX ninjas, wearing all black, helped the astronauts get into the Crew Dragon spacecraft and into their seats. “We are fully booked tomorrow, too.”She said without the Crew-1 launch and the earlier SpaceX launch in May, her B&B might not have survived.

[RELATED: These 14 weather conditions would prevent SpaceX from launching the Falcon 9, Crew Dragon]NASA and SpaceX are closely watching the weather. “Teams will continue monitoring weather conditions for liftoff and along the flight path,” SpaceX said in a tweet. Ahead of Saturday’s launch, SpaceX performed a static test fire of their Falcon 9 rocket giving viewers a preview of what’s to come next. SpaceX, NASA moving ahead with #Crew1 launch plans for Saturday. Today, @Astro_illini, @AstroVicGlover, Shannon Walker and @Astro_Soichi participated in a countdown dress rehearsal of launch day events.

Ron DeSantis has endorsed six Florida counties and three cities that hope to land the command headquarters of the U.S. Space Force. In a letter Monday to Air Force Assistant Secretary John Henderson, DeSantis supported the proposals by Jacksonville, Pensacola, Brevard County, Miami-Dade County, Orange County, Pinellas County, Seminole County and a joint proposal from Tampa and Hillsborough County. “Our state has a long history of support for our nation’s effort in space through the operations of the Kennedy Space Center, the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,” DeSantis wrote in the letter released late Wednesday by his office. President Donald Trump in December signed a law that created the Space Force as a separate branch of the military. The proposal also would repeal a requirement that Space Florida advise House and Senate leaders before presenting bond proposals to the governor and Cabinet.

The rocket is carrying the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle under the newly formed U.S. Space Force. Liftoff of the United Launch Alliance #AtlasV rocket on the #USSF7 mission featuring the #X37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the United States Space Force! ULA will launch the spacecraft, which resembles a small space shuttle, on an Atlas V rocket Saturday from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch will mark the sixth flight of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle and the fourth launched aboard an Atlas V rocket. They were directly involved in building a satellite scheduled to launch into space May 16 aboard the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle.

So from Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado, operators maneuvered the agile GSSAP satellite close to the inert MUOS-5 to inspect it. According to data for a report from the Secure World Foundation, a space-centric think tank, the GSSAP satellites had close encounters with eight international orbiters between 2016 and mid-2018. They're part of an increasingly intense stare at the space beyond low-Earth orbit: from geosynchronous orbit, or GEO, out to the Moon. That's useful when GSSAP satellites aren't conveniently close to the shot you'd like to take. The Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron also tracks and catalogs far-out satellites from both the ground and space.

The logo, which bears the date 2019 in Roman numerals, also is similar in design to that of Air Force Space Command, from which Space Force was created by legislation that Trump signed in last month. A U.S. Space Force spokesperson confirmed to News 6 the logo unveiled by the president is the official seal and explained the significance. “The creation of the U.S. Space Force seal pays tribute to the newest Armed Service that organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. We are expecting some royalties from this.”Space Force is the first new military service since the Air Force was created in 1947. Trump originally wanted a Space Force that was “separate but equal” to the Army, Navy and Air Force, but instead, Congress made it part of the Department of the Air Force.

President Trump's new Space Force logo is seemingly beamed up straight from the Enterprise. John Noonan, a former national security adviser and former member of the Air Force, pointed out that the Space Force logo is likely based on a long-standing Air Force Command logo. For those excitedly tweeting that Trump stole the Star Trek logo!!! Hopefully, the next time future members of the Space Force see Mr. Trump, they'll greet him with a Vulcan salute. The new series "Star Trek: Picard" on CBS All Access sees the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, the character he made famous almost two decades ago in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

TALLAHASSEE Floridas aerospace agency has launched a new front in its effort to make the Sunshine State more enticing as a potential player in the nations up-and-coming Space Force. If you can't make the articulate arguments for what capabilities you've got to support missions, youll never get those mission assignments, Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello said after Thursdays meeting in Tallahassee. Space Florida officials maintain that luring the combatant command or the components that will make up the bulk of the Space Force will require showing that many of the new agencys functions already exist in some manner at Cape Canaveral and military bases across the state. I go up to D.C. pretty frequently to talk about this and other issues, said Nunez, who also serves as the chairwoman of the Space Florida board. DeSantis has been pitching Trump on Florida for the Space Force command for nearly a year.

Ron DeSantis political ties to Trump as they lobby for the new branch, which is expected to be moved from the Department of the Air Force to having its own representation on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon in October. It's going to have to be done because there's a strategic reason to put that mission element in Idaho.Florida already has the aerospace infrastructure needed to quickly support the high-tech missions that will be the focus of Space Force, according to DiBello and other Space Florida officials, such as Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez.I go up to D.C. pretty frequently to talk about this and other issues, said Nunez, who also serves as the chairwoman of the Space Florida board. The governor has made it very clear that he is going to continue to push on that. So, we're really engaged.Florida is competing with other states for the command headquarters, which will have an initial job of protecting satellites and other hardware already in space and carries the prospect of new jobs and a boost to the state and local economies.

As per the spending plan of the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Trump, a $148 million budget was authorized for the construction of a Combined Space Operations Facility in Colorado Springs.However, the Space Force still lacks a location for its command headquarters and Florida state officials hope that the Sunshine State will be the top choice.Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, who enjoy a very close relationship with the president, they are working to convince the president to do the Space Force headquarters in the sunshine state, aerospace consultant John Boyd told Florida Today soon after President Trump signed the Space Force into law in December.Senator Marco Rubio also expressed his desire for the command headquarters to be built in Florida. In a letter to former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Rubio wrote: "Florida's Space Coast continues to lead the world in space. "If their efforts are successful, the existence of the Space Force Command Headquarters in Florida could spark a flood of economic prosperity to the state. Boyd gauges that the headquarters would create 1,200 high-paying jobs and put approximately $2 billion of investments from the Pentagon in Floridas pocket.

The count in the Democratic-controlled chamber was 377-48, enough to send the conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, to the Senate, where a vote is expected by the end of next week. Trump has promised to sign the legislation as soon as it passes Congress. Those had been included in a version of the NDAA the House passed in October, but not in the version passed by the Republican-controlled Senate. They were removed during several months of negotiations with Senate Republicans and Trump administration officials. The fiscal 2020 NDAA increases defense spending by about $20 billion, or about 2.8%, and creates a Space Force as a new branch of the U.S. military, both Trump priorities.

Air Force Gen. John Raymond now heads both Air Force and U.S. space commands. But Launius says the establishment of the Space Force doesn't necessarily address a need, especially since the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 limits the use of weapons in space. The six locations being considered are:Buckley Air Force Base, ColoradoCheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, ColoradoPeterson Air Force Base, ColoradoRedstone Arsenal (U.S. Army), AlabamaSchriever Air Force Base, ColoradoVandenberg Air Force Base, CaliforniaColorado has long been considered a frontrunner for the command as the Air Force's Space Command is already based there, as well as a series of other bases, organizations and companies. The 45th Space Wing, based at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, is a unit of the old and new command. So far, the wing has said there will be no local impacts from the transition to U.S. Space Command.