List of space programs of the United States
Part of a series on the |
United States space program |
---|
The United States has developed many space programs since the beginning of the spaceflight era in the mid-20th century. The government runs space programs by three primary agencies: NASA for civil space; the United States Space Force for military space; and the National Reconnaissance Office for intelligence space. These entities have invested significant resources to advance technological approaches to meet objectives. In the late 1980s, commercial interests emerged in the space industry and have expanded dramatically, especially within the last 10 to 15 years.
NASA delivers the most visible elements of the U.S. space program. From crewed space exploration and the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, to the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Voyager, the Mars rovers, numerous space telescopes, and the Artemis program, NASA delivers on the civil space exploration mandate. NASA also cooperates with other U.S. civil agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to deliver space assets supporting the weather and civil remote sensing mandates of those organizations. In 2022, NASA's annual budget was approximately $24 billion.
The Department of Defense delivers the military space programs. In 2019, the U.S. Space Force started as the primary DoD agent for delivery of military space capability.[1] Systems such as the Global Positioning System, which is ubiquitous to users worldwide, was developed and is maintained by the DoD.[2] Missile warning, defense weather, military satellite communications, and space domain awareness also acquire significant annual investment. In 2023, the annual DoD budget request focused on space is $24.5 billion dollars.[3]
The Intelligence Community, through entities that include the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), invests significant resources in space. Surveillance and reconnaissance are the primary focuses of these entities.
Commercial space activity in the United States was facilitated by the passage of the Commercial Space Launch Act in October 1984.[4][5] Commercial crewed program activity was spurred by the establishment of the $10 million Ansari X Prize in May 1996.
Definition of space flight
[edit]Space programs of the United States date to the start of the Space Age in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Programs involve both crewed systems and uncrewed satellites, probes and platforms to meet diverse program objectives.
From a definition perspective, the criteria for what constitutes spaceflight vary. In the United States, professional, military, and commercial astronauts who travel above an altitude of 50 miles (80 km) are awarded astronaut wings.[6] The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale defines spaceflight as any flight over 62 miles (100 km).[7] This article follows the US definition of spaceflight. Similarly, for uncrewed missions, systems are required to travel above the same altitude thresholds.
Government-led programs
[edit]The following summarizes the major space programs where the United States government plays a leadership role in managing program delivery.
Crewed government-led programs
[edit]Program | Purpose | Timeline | Organization(s) | Flights | Exemplar mission(s) | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X-15 program | R&D | 1957–1968 |
|
13 | X-15 Flight 91 | [8][9] |
Project Mercury | R&D | 1958–1963 | NASA | 11 | Mercury-Atlas 6 | [10][11] |
Project Gemini | Exploration | 1961–1966 | NASA | 19 | Gemini 4 | [12] |
Project Apollo | Exploration | 1961–1972 | NASA | 14 | Apollo 11 | [13][14] |
Manned Orbiting Laboratory | Space Operations | 1962–1969 | US Air Force | 1 | Test Flight | [15] |
Space Shuttle program | Space Transportation | 1972–2011 | NASA | 134 | [16][17] | |
Skylab program | Space Operations | 1973–1974 | NASA | 4 | Skylab 2 | [18] |
Spacelab program | Space Operations | 1973–1998 | 16 | STS-50 | [19] | |
Apollo–Soyuz Test Project | Space Operations | 1975 | 1 | APAS-75 Docking System | [20] | |
International Space Station program | Space Operations | 1984–present | 26 years, 1 day in orbit | [21][22] | ||
Constellation program | Exploration | 2000s–2010 | NASA | 1 | Ares I-X | [23] |
Journey to Mars program | Exploration | 2010–2017 | NASA | 1 | Exploration Flight Test-1 | [24][25][26] |
Lunar Gateway program | Exploration | 2017–present | 0 | [27] | ||
Artemis Program | Exploration | 2017–present | 1 | [28][29][30] |
Uncrewed government-led programs
[edit]Program | Purpose | Timeline | Organization(s) | Flights | Exemplar mission(s) | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viking sounding rocket | R&D | 1949–1957 | Naval Research Laboratory | 11 | Viking 11 (1954) | |
Project Vanguard | R&D | 1956–1959 | Naval Research Laboratory | 3 | Vanguard 1 | [33] |
Project Farside | R&D | 1957 | AFOSR | 6 | ||
Explorers Program | Exploration | 1958–present | 91 | [35][36] | ||
Pioneer program | Exploration | 1958–1992 |
|
8 | [37] | |
KH-1 to KH-6 Corona | Reconnaissance | 1959–1972 | 142 | Discoverer 1 | [38] | |
Samos | Reconnaissance | 1960–1962 | US Air Force | 7 | Samos 6 | [39] |
Television Infrared Observation Satellite | Weather | 1960–1968 | 10 | TIROS-8 | [40][41] | |
Transit | Navigation | 1960–1988 | 36 | Transit 3B | [42] | |
Ranger program | Exploration | 1961–1965 | NASA | 4 | Ranger 7 | [43][44] |
Strategic missile warning programs | Surveillance | 1960–present | US Space Force | 39 | [45][46] | |
Orbiting Solar Observatory | Heliophysics | 1962–1975 | NASA | 8 | OSO 3 | [47] |
Mariner program | Exploration | 1962–1973 | NASA | 7 | Mariner 6 and 7 | [48] |
Centaur upper stage program | Space Transportation | 1962–2003 |
|
91 | [49][50] | |
Environmental Research Satellite | Technology | 1962–1971 | US Air Force | 33 | ERS 5 | [51] |
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) | Weather | 1962–present | 39 | [52] | ||
Lunar Orbiter program | Exploration | 1963–1967 | NASA | 5 | Lunar Orbiter 3 | [53] |
KH-7 Gambit | Reconnaissance | 1963–1967 | 38 | [54][55][56] | ||
Project Vela | Nuclear test detection | 1963–1970 | 12 | [57] | ||
Nimbus program | Weather | 1964–1978 | NASA | 6 | Nimbus 1 | [58] |
National Geodetic Satellite Program | Geodesy | 1964–1971 | NASA | 6 | [59] | |
Electronic & Geodetic Ranging Satellite (EGRS) | Navigation | 1964–1970 | 5 | EGRS 1 | [60] | |
Space Experiment Support Program | R&D | 1965–1971 | 6 | SOLRAD | [61] | |
Orbiting Vehicle | Technology | 1965–1971 | US Air Force | 37 | OV1-9 | [62] |
Lincoln Experimental Satellite | Communications | 1965–1976 | 8 | [63] | ||
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) | Astronomy | 1966–1972 | 2 | Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 3 | [64] | |
KH-8 Gambit 3 | Reconnaissance | 1966–1984 | 54 | [65][66] | ||
Applications Technology Satellites |
|
1966–1979 | NASA | 6 | ATS-3 | [67] |
Defense Satellite Communications System | Communications | 1966–present | US Air Force | 63 | DSCS-III | [68][69][70] |
KH-9 Hexagon | Reconnaissance | 1971–1984 | 19 | [71] | ||
Space Test Program | R&D | 1971–present | 251 | C/NOFS | [72] | |
Landsat program | Earth Science | 1972–present | 9 | Landsat 9 | [73][74] | |
Earth and Ocean Dynamics Applications Program | Geodesy | 1972–1978 | NASA | 6 | [75] | |
NAVSTAR GPS | Navigation | 1973–present | US Air Force (1973–2019) US Space Force (2019 onward) |
77 | GPS Block III | [76][77] |
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) | Weather | 1975–present | 18 | [78] | ||
Strategic planetary missions | Exploration | 1975–present | NASA | 8 | [79][80][81] | |
HEAO Program | Astrophysics | 1977–1979 | NASA | 3 | Einstein Observatory | [82] |
Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) | Weather | 1978–present | 16 | [83][84] | ||
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) | Communications | 1983–present | NASA | 14 | [85] | |
Milstar | Communications | 1985–present | US Air Force | 6 | [86] | |
UHF Follow-On program | Communications | 1988–present | US Navy | 11 | [87] | |
Medium Launch Vehicle II (MLV-II) | Space Transportation | 1988–2004 | US Air Force | 14 | [88] | |
Discovery program | Exploration | 1990–present | NASA | 12 | [89] | |
Great Observatories program | Astrophysics | 1990–present | NASA | 4 | [90][91] | |
Mars Exploration Program | Exploration | 1993–present | NASA | 8 | [92][93] | |
Global Geospace Science | Astrophysics | 1994–1996 | NASA | 2 | [94] | |
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle | Space Transportation | 1998–present | US Air Force | 106 | [95][96] | |
New Millennium Program | Exploration | 1996–2017 | NASA | 5 | [97] | |
Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) | Earth Science | 1996–present | NASA | 7 | [98] | |
Earth Observing System | Earth Science | 1999–present | NASA | 5 | [99][100] | |
Solar Terrestrial Probes program | Astrophysics | 2001–2003 | NASA | 4 | [101] | |
New Frontiers program | Exploration | 2003–present | NASA | 3 | [102] | |
Tactical Satellite Program | Technology | 2003–2013 | 3 | TacSat-2 | [103] | |
University Nanosatellite Program | Technology | 2004–present | Air Force Research Laboratory | 20 | Cornell University Satellite | [104] |
X-37B program | R&D | 2006–present |
|
6 | OTV-3 | [105][106] |
Lunar Precursor Robotic Program | Astrophysics | 2006–2013 | NASA | 3 | [107] | |
AEHF Satellite Program | Communications | 2010–present | US Space Force | 6 | AEHF-1 | [108][109] |
Living With a Star | Heliophysics | 2010–present | NASA | 4 | [110] | |
Wideband Global Satcom Program | Communications | 2011–present | US Space Force | 10 | WGS-4 | [111] |
Earth Systematic Missions (ESM) Program | Earth Science | 2017–present | NASA | 10 | [112] | |
Origins Program | Astrophysics | 2021–present | NASA | 3 | JWST | [113][114] |
Weather System Follow-on Program | Space weather | 2024–present | US Space Force | 1 | WSF-M1 | [115] |
Commercial space programs
[edit]The following summarizes the major space programs where private interests play the leadership role in managing program delivery.
Crewed commercial programs
[edit]Program | Purpose | Timeline | Organization(s) | Flights | Exemplar mission(s) | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Space Adventures | Space tourism | 1998–present | 7 | [116][117] | ||
SpaceShipOne | Space tourism | 2003–2004 | Scaled Composites | 3 | SpaceShipOne flight 16P | [118][119] |
SpaceShipTwo | Space tourism | 2010–present | Virgin Galactic | 10 | Virgin Galactic Unity 22 | [120][121] |
Blue Origin New Shepard | Space tourism | 2015–present | Blue Origin | 24 | Blue Origin NS-18 | [122][123] |
DearMoon lunar tourism | Space tourism | 2018–present | 0 | [124][125] | ||
Axiom Space | Space tourism | 2020–present | 3 | Axiom Mission 1 | [126] | |
Polaris program | Space tourism | 2021–present | 1 | Inspiration4 | [127][128] | |
Commercial Crew Program | Space transportation | 2011–present | 7 | [129][130] | ||
SpaceX Starship | Space Transportation | 2012–present | SpaceX | 0 | [131] | |
Orbital Reef Space Station | Space Operations | 2021–present | Blue Origin | 0 | [132] |
Uncrewed commercial programs
[edit]Program | Purpose | Timeline | Organization(s) | Flights | Exemplar mission(s) | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Telstar | Satellite communications | 1962–1995 | AT&T | 8 | Telstar 301 | [133] |
Comstar | Satellite communications | 1963–2000 | Comsat General Corporation | 4 | Comstar D-4 | [134] |
Westar | Satellite communications | 1975–1988 | Western Union | 7 | Westar 1 | [135] |
Satcom | Satellite communications | 1975–2001 | RCA Americom | 13 | GE-1 | [136] |
SBS | Satellite communications | 1975–1991 | Satellite Business Systems | 6 | SBS 2 | [137] |
Galaxy | Satellite communications | 1983–1997 | Hughes Communications | 9 | Galaxy 1 | [138] |
Commercial Launch Services (Atlas) | Space Transportation |
|
|
|
AC-69/Atlas I | [139][140] |
Iridium | Satellite communications | 1987–present | Iridium Communications | 170 | Iridium 77 | [141] |
Globalstar | Satellite communications | 1991–present | Globalstar | 84 | [142] | |
Digital Globe | Earth Imaging | 1992–present | Maxar Technologies | 8 | WorldView-1 | [143] |
Orbcomm | Satellite data messaging | 1992–present | Orbcomm | 62 | [144] | |
International Launch Services (Atlas, Proton) [note 1] | Space transportation | 1995–2006 |
|
100 | [145][146] | |
Sea Launch (Zenit) | Space transportation | 1995–2014 |
|
36 | [147] | |
DirecTV | Satellite Television | 1995–present | DirecTV | 19 | DirecTV T10 satellite | [148] |
Dish Network | Satellite Television | 1996–present | DISH Network Corporation | 16 | EchoStar X | [149] |
Sirius XM Radio | Satellite Radio | 1997–present |
|
13 | Sirius FM-5 | [150] |
SpaceX Launch Services | Space transportation | 2002–present | SpaceX | xx | [151] | |
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services | Space transportation | 2006–2013 | 3 | [152] | ||
United Launch Alliance Commercial Launch Services | Space Transportation | 2006–present | xx | [153] | ||
Commercial Resupply Services | Space transportation |
|
|
|
[154] | |
Planetscope satellite constellation | Earth imaging | 2010–present | Planet Labs | 487 | List of Flock satellite types | [155] |
Rocket Lab (Electron)[note 2] | Space Transportation | 2013–present | Rocket Lab | 41 | List of Electron launches | [156] |
Starlink | Satellite Internet Service | 2016–present | SpaceX | 5,330 | [157] | |
Commercial Lunar Payload Services | Space transportation | 2018–present | 1 | Astrobotic Peregrine Lander | [158] |
See also
[edit]- Space policy of the United States
- List of European Space Agency programmes and missions
- Japanese space program
- British space programme – Official efforts to develop space capabilities
- Chinese space program – Space program of the People's Republic of China
- Soviet space program – Space exploration program conducted by the Soviet Union from 1951 to 1991
- List of government space agencies
- List of rockets of the United States
- List of NOAA satellites
- List of NASA missions
Explanatory notes
[edit]- ^ Lockheed Martin sold its interest in ILS to Russian entities in 2006 with ILS continuing as an international entity. Atlas commercial sales reverted to Lockheed Martin via the United Launch Alliance joint venture with Boeing.
- ^ Rocketlab was founded in New Zealand but made the decision to re-domicile itself to the United States in 2013.
References
[edit]- ^ Hennigan, W.J. (July 23, 2020). "America Really Does Have a Space Force. We Went Inside to See What It Does". Time. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Hambling, David (October 4, 2020). "What would the world do without GPS?". BBC. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (March 28, 2022). "Biden's 2023 defense budget adds billions for U.S. Space Force". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Chapter 509 — Commercial Space Launch Activities". United States Code ~ Office of the Law Revision Counsel. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ^ Reagan, Ronald W. (October 30, 1984). "Statement on Signing the Commercial Space Launch Act - October 30, 1984". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. p. 1688.
- ^ Roulette, Joey (December 10, 2021). "Jeff Bezos Is Getting Astronaut Wings. But Soon, the F.A.A. Won't Award Them". New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Betz, Eric (March 5, 2021). "The Kármán Line: Where does space begin?". Astronomy.com. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Gibbs, Yvonne, ed. (February 28, 2014). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: X-15 Hypersonic Research Program". NASA. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
4,520 mph (Mach 6.7 on Oct. 3, 1967,
- ^ Jacopo Prisco (July 28, 2020). "X-15: The fastest manned rocket plane ever". CNN. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ Alexander, C. C.; Grimwood, J. M.; Swenson, L. S. (1966). This New Ocean: a History of Project Mercury (PDF). US: NASA. ISBN 1934941875.
- ^ Catchpole, John (2001). Project Mercury - NASA's First Manned Space Programme. Chichester, UK: Springer Praxis. ISBN 1-85233-406-1.
- ^ Hacker, Barton C.; Grimwood, James M. (1977). On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini (PDF). NASA SP-4203. Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ Compton, William David (1989). Where no man has gone before : a history of Apollo lunar exploration missions. NASA history series. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. OCLC 18223277. NASA SP-4214.
- ^ Murray, Charles; Cox, Catherine Bly (1989). Apollo: The Race to the Moon. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-61101-1. LCCN 89006333. OCLC 19589707.
- ^ "Air Force to Develop Manned Orbiting Laboratory" (PDF) (Press release). Department of Defense. December 10, 1963. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
- ^ "Timeline: Key dates in U.S. space shuttle program". Reuters. July 5, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ "Shuttle–Mir History/Shuttle Flights and Mir Increments". NASA. Archived from the original on November 11, 2001. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
- ^ Belew, L. F.; Stuhlinger, E. (January 1973). "EP-107 Skylab: A Guidebook. Chapter IV: Skylab Design and Operation". NASA History. Retrieved September 17, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Spacelab: Space Shuttle Flew Europe's First Space Module 30 Years Ago". Space.com. December 2, 2013.
- ^ Edward Clinton Ezell; Linda Neuman Ezell (1978). "The Partnership: A History of the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project". NASA. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2011. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (March 1, 2017). "NASA buys up to five more seats on future Soyuz missions". SpaceFlightNow. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Howell, Elizabeth (August 24, 2022). "International Space Station: Facts about the orbital laboratory". space.com. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Connolly, John F. (October 2006). "Constellation Program Overview" (PDF). NASA Constellation Program Office. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ "President Barack Obama on Space Exploration in the 21st Century". Office of the Press Secretary. April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ "Today – President Signs NASA 2010 Authorization Act". Universetoday.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ^ Bergin, Chris (February 23, 2012). "Acronyms to Ascent – SLS managers create development milestone roadmap". NASA. Archived from the original on April 30, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
- ^ Mogg, Trevor (August 2, 2022). "NASA video reveals complexity of Lunar Gateway plan". Digital Trends. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Davis, Jason (June 11, 2019). "NASA's Artemis program will return astronauts to the moon and give us the first female moonwalker". NBC News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (September 24, 2019). "NASA awards long-term Orion production contract to Lockheed Martin". Space News. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Sheetz, Michael (April 16, 2021). "Elon Musk's SpaceX beats Bezos' Blue Origin in NASA contest to build astronaut lunar lander". CNBC. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Viking Sounding Rocket NASM
- ^ Corliss, William (1971) NASA Sounding Rockets NASA SP-4401 pp23, 81
- ^ Vanguard — A History, Chapter 1. Constance M. Green and Milton Lomask, NASA SP-4202. NASA Historical Reference Collection, NASA History Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. and http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4202/begin.html
- ^ Project Farside NASM
- ^ "Explorer Program". Planet4589.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Explorer Spacecraft Series". History.nasa.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "The Pioneer Missions". NASA.gov. March 26, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ United States; Central Intelligence Agency; Ruffner, Kevin Conley (1995). CORONA America's first satellite program. Center for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency. p. xiii. OCLC 42006243. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Perry, Robert (1973) A History of Satellite Reconnaissance: Samos NRO
- ^ TIROS WMO
- ^ TIROS DARPA
- ^ Transit DARPA
- ^ Hall, R. C. (January 1977). "LUNAR IMPACT: A History of Project Ranger, Part I. The Original Ranger, Chapter Two - ORGANIZING THE CAMPAIGN". NASA History. NASA. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ Dick, Steven J. "NASA's First 50 Years: Historical Perspectives" (PDF). history.nasa.gov. NASA. p. 12. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
- ^ Hall, R. Cargill (July 1988). "Missile Defense Alarm: The Genesis of Space-based Early Warning" (PDF). NRO.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (August 4, 2022). "ULA launches the last SBIRS U.S. Space Force missile warning satellite". Space News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Orbiting Solar Observatory LASP
- ^ "Mariner to Mercury, Venus and Mars" (PDF). NASA. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Centaur: America's Workhorse in Space". nasa.gov. December 12, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Carney, Emily (October 8, 2015). "A deathblow to the Death Star: The rise and fall of NASA's Shuttle-Centaur". ARS Technica. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Corliss, William (1967) Scientific Satellites NASA SP-133 p714
- ^ Cargill, R. Cargill (September 2001). "A History of the Military Polar Orbiting Meteorological Satellite Program" (PDF). Office of the Historian National Reconnaissance Office. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Byers, Bruce K. (April 1977). "DESTINATION MOON: A History of the Lunar Orbiter Program". NASA. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
- ^ "GAMBIT 1 KH-7 Reconnaissance Satellite". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (September 19, 2011). "Spy agency pulls back cloak on secret Cold War satellites". SpaceFlightNow. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Gambit-1 Fact Sheet" (PDF). NRO.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Vela DARPA
- ^ Nimbus WMO
- ^ Application of Space Technology to Crustal Dynamics NASA Technical Paper 1464, 1979 p21
- ^ Nichols, Robert (1974) Geodetic SECOR Satellite AD/A-002 625
- ^ Stone, Irving (1970) USAF Experiments Support Air Force and Space Digest vol 53 AFA p27
- ^ Corliss, William (1967) Scientific Satellites NASA SP-133 p769-776
- ^ NASA Compendium of Satellite Communications Programs CSC 1975 pp169–224
- ^ Orbiting Astronomical Observatories University of Chicago
- ^ "GAMBIT 3 KH-8 Reconnaissance Satellite". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Gambit-3 Fact Sheet" (PDF). NRO.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ ATS NASA
- ^ Singer, Jeremy (March 1, 2007). "Bandwidth Breakthrough". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "DSCS II". Astronautix.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "DSCS III". Astronautix.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Hexagon Fact Sheet" (PDF). NRO.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ The Past Present and Future of the DoD Space Test Program US Space Force
- ^ "Landsat History". NASA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (September 27, 2021). "Atlas 5 launches Landsat 9". Space News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Vonbun, F. (1976) Earth and Ocean Dynamics Program GSFC X-900-76-39 p5
- ^ National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Future of the Global Positioning System; National Academy of Public Administration (1995). The global positioning system: a shared national asset: recommendations for technical improvements and enhancements. National Academies Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-309-05283-2. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
- ^ "Space Segment". gps.gov. June 28, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Wulfeck, Andrew (February 28, 2022). "46 years of GOES: How a history of achievements has changed weather forecasting". FoxWeather.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Williams, David R. Dr. (December 18, 2006). "Viking Mission to Mars". NASA. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^ "The Fantastic Voyage of Voyager". The Attic. January 9, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Wall, Mike (November 8, 2021). "New era of 'Great Observatories' may be coming for NASA". space.com. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ HEAO NASA
- ^ "POES History - Polar-orbiting Satellites: The First to be Launched". noaa.gov. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (May 30, 2018). "NOAA declares first JPSS weather satellite operational". Space News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "NASA's TDRS Era Began During Challenger's Maiden Voyage". NASA.gov. April 4, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Ray, Justin (April 8, 2003). "Last Milstar successfully soars to orbital perch". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Audit Report - Ultra High Frequency Follow-on Satellite" (PDF). Department of Defense. June 30, 1992. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Spires, David (April 2022). Assured Access: A History of the US Air Force Space Launch Enterprise, 1947–2020 (PDF). Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air University Press. p. 231-234. ISBN 9781585663118.
- ^ "A Look Back at the Beginning: How the Discovery Program Came to Be" (PDF). NASA. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2011.
- ^ Evans, Ben (June 4, 2020). "Remembering the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory 20 Years after its death". Astronomy. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Chandra ESA eoPortal
- ^ "Mars Exploration History". Mars Exploration Program. NASA. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ Brown, Adrian. "MSL and the NASA Mars Exploration Program: Where we've been, where we're going". The Space Review. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
- ^ Wind ESA eoPortal
- ^ Brissett, Wilson (July 28, 2017). "Space Launch Competition". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Graham, William (June 20, 2012). "ULA Atlas V marks 50th EELV launch by lofting NROL-38 uphill". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Chandra, A. M. and Ghosh, S. K. (2006) Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System Alpha Science International p48-51
- ^ Earth System Science Pathfinder NASA
- ^ NASA (1999) EOS Reference Manual p15, 19, 22
- ^ Taylor, Nola (February 1, 2018). "Earth Observing System: Monitoring the Planet's Climate". Space.com. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Solar Terrestrial Probes program (STP) NASA
- ^ Harbaugh, Jennifer (June 18, 2019). "New Frontiers Program". NASA. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ TacSat-1 eoPortal.org
- ^ University Nanosatellite Program
- ^ David, Leonard (November 17, 2006). "U.S. Air Force Pushes For Orbital Test Vehicle". Space.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2006.
- ^ Gallop, J.D. (October 27, 2019). "U.S. Airforce's X-37B returns to Earth with a 'boom' and a new record for spaceflight". USA Today. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Atkinson, David and Lavoie, Anthony (2012) The Lunar Precursor Robotic Program AIAA
- ^ Brinton, Turner (August 16, 2010). "U.S. Air Force Launches 1st AEHF Communications Sat". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (September 16, 2020). "U.S. Space Command to begin testing the last satellite of the AEHF-MILSTAR constellation". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Living With a Star Program Missions". Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (February 22, 2022). "U.S. and international partners to share launch cost of new communications satellite". Space News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Earth Systematic Missions NASA
- ^ Cosmic Origins NASA
- ^ Panek, Richard (December 25, 2021). "The James Webb Space Telescope Has Launched: Now Comes the Hard Part". Scientific American. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ WSF WMO
- ^ "How One Overlooked Company Paved the Way for Blue Origin and SpaceX". Inverse.com. October 7, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (October 22, 2021). "Space Adventures no longer planning Crew Dragon flight". Space News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Sharp, Tim (March 5, 2019). "SpaceShipOne: The First Private Spacecraft". space.com. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ "SpaceShipOne". National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Wattles, Jackie (December 14, 2018). "Virgin Galactic reaches 50-mile space". edition.cnn.
- ^ Grush, Lauren (December 13, 2018). "Virgin Galactic's spaceplane finally makes it to space for the first time". The Verge. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
- ^ Doug Mohney (May 7, 2015). "Will Jeff Bezos Speed Past Virgin Galactic to Tourist Space?". TechZone360.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (June 21, 2018). "Blue Origin plans to start selling suborbital spaceflight tickets by next year". SpaceNews. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Eric Ralph (September 14, 2018). "SpaceX has signed a private passenger for the first BFR launch around the Moon". Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- ^ Grush, Loren (September 14, 2018). "SpaceX says it will send someone around the Moon on its future monster rocket". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ Wall, Mike (June 14, 2018). "Want to Take a 10-Day Trip to the Space Station? It'll Cost You US$55 Million". Space.com. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- ^ Davenport, Christian. "Jared Isaacman, who led the first all-private astronaut mission to orbit, has commissioned 3 more flights from SpaceX". Washington Post. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (August 1, 2022). "December launch planned for Polaris Dawn". SpaceNews. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (September 16, 2014). "NASA Selects Boeing and SpaceX for Commercial Crew Contracts". Space News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Sheetz, Michael (August 31, 2022). "NASA taps SpaceX for 5 more astronaut missions worth $1.4 billion". CNBC. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (June 13, 2022). "FAA environmental review to allow Starship orbital launches after changes". Space News. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Sheetz, Michael (October 25, 2021). "Bezos' Blue Origin unveils private space station 'business park' to be deployed later this decade". CNBC. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Butrica, Andrew J. (1997) Beyond the Ionosphere: Fifty Years of Satellite Communications NASA SP-4217
- ^ COMSAT History
- ^ Westar Mission and Spacecraft Library
- ^ Conard, James W. (1988) Handbook of Communications Systems Management Auerbach p324
- ^ Applications Satellites House Committee on Science and Technology 1983
- ^ Rees, David W. E. (1991) Satellite Communications Wiley p250-251
- ^ Johnson, Greg (June 16, 1987). "General Dynamics Plans to Build 18 Atlas Rockets". LA Times. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ "Martin Marietta to buy General Dynamics Space Systems". UPI Archives. December 22, 1993. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ Amos, Jonathan (January 11, 2019). "SpaceX launch completes Iridium satellite refresh". BBC. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Orlando, Anthony (June 19, 2022). "SpaceX sends off Globalstar satellite in third launch of the weekend". News 13 Orlando. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Much Anticipated WorldView-1 Satellite Launched". Space News. June 29, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Harwood, William (July 14, 2014). "SpaceX Falcon 9 boosts Orbcomm data sats to orbit". CBS News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Creation of International Launch Services". ilslaunch.com. June 10, 1995. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ "Lockheed Martin To Sell ILS Stake, Market Atlas 5 Missions On Its Own". Via Satellite. September 11, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (April 24, 2020). "Sea Launch "frozen" after ships moved to Russia". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Henry, Caleb (June 20, 2019). "Ariane 5 lofts satellites for AT&T, Eutelsat". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Henry, Caleb (May 20, 2019). "EchoStar selling broadcast business, including nine satellites, to Dish for $800 million". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (June 6, 2021). "SpaceX launches SiriusXM satellite". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Mann, Adam (May 20, 2020). "SpaceX now dominates rocket flight, bringing big benefits—and risks—to NASA". Science.org. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Commercial Orbital Transportation Services – A New Era in Spaceflight" (PDF). NASA. February 2014. NASA/SP-2014-617. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Roulette, Joey (April 19, 2021). "Amazon buys nine ULA rocket launches for its space internet satellites". The Verge. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts". NASA, December 23, 2008.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (May 25, 2022). "BlackSky, Maxar, Planet win 10-year NRO contracts for satellite imagery". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (September 16, 2022). "Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar imaging satellite on 30th Electron mission". Space News. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Orlando, Anthony (September 18, 2022). "SpaceX launches 54 Starlink satellites into orbit, after scrubbing five times due to weather". news 13 Orlando. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (May 31, 2019). "NASA awards contracts to three companies to land payloads on the moon". Space News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.