Courtney Albon
Courtney Albon is the Space Editor at Air & Space Forces Magazine. She has been covering the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on the Air Force and Space Force. During that time, she has reported on some of the Defense Department’s most significant acquisition, budget and policy challenges, including the F-35 fighter jet, hypersonic capability development and the creation of the Space Force.
Recent stories by Courtney Albon
Space Force Sees Path to Operationalize On-Orbit Logistics Demos
As the Space Force makes plans for two on-orbit refueling and maneuver demonstrations in 2027—and closely watches similar government and commercial endeavors—the service official overseeing the effort say he want to take these capabilities from demo to operations in short order.
Space Force Study Recommends Third Heavy Launch Site
A recent study of the Space Force’s launch infrastructure found that the service needs a third launch site to manage surging government and commercial launch demand.
SDA Director Drops ‘Acting’ Label and Adds All Missile Warning to Portfolio
After eight months leading the Space Development Agency on an acting basis, Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo was named SDA’s permanent leader and given a second hat as the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking programs, the service announced May 19.
Space Force Picks Northrop to Build Enhanced Jam-Resistent SATCOM Prototype
The Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $398 million contract to design and build a communications satellite prototype with advanced anti-jam and data processing capabilities. The service announced the contract for the Enhanced Protected Tactical SATCOM-Prototype program, or Enhanced PTS-P, May 15, and said the satellite ...
New Golden Dome ‘Ecosystem Hub’ Will Vet New Tech, Monitor Industrial Base
The leaders of the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program say a new “Ecosystem Hub” will make it easier for companies to pitch technology for the effort and for the government to monitor supply chain and cyber risks.
Pentagon Pushes Back on CBO’s Trillion-Dollar Golden Dome Estimate
A Congressional Budget Office estimate that pegs the 20-year cost of the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program at $1.2 trillion dollars is based on inaccurate assumptions about the advanced missile shield’s architecture, according to the general in charge of the project.
US Space Command, Allies Crafting Ops Plan for Orbital Warfare
U.S. Space Command is working with close allies to define a joint plan for how to protect and defend space assets from threats in orbit, according to Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting.
Golden Dome Could Cost $1.2 Trillion Over 20 Years, CBO Says
The Pentagon’s Golden Dome project could cost about $1.2 trillion over the next two decades, and it still may not be able to fend off a major missile attack from from Russia or China, according to a new estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.
Space Force to Overhaul Key Early Warning, Surveillance Radars Around the World
The Space Force plans to overhaul eight legacy missile warning and space surveillance radars located around the world, taking them from analog to digital operations, according to a May 7 notice.
Missile Defense Agency Plans Counter-Hypersonic Test in Fiscal 2027
The Missile Defense Agency plans to test its ability to track and take down a hypersonic missile, staging a test flight in fiscal 2027 called “Project Maverick.”
AFRL Restructures amid Pentagon’s Innovation Reform Effort
The Air Force Research Laboratory is undergoing a major reorganization, consolidating 11 of its organizations into seven as part of a broader Pentagon effort to get more technology from the lab to users in the field.
Space Force Adds $4B to Andromeda Contract for Surveillance and Recon Satellites
Anticipating significant demand in the coming years for reconnaissance and surveillance satellites, the Space Force is increasing the ceiling value of its recently awarded Andromeda contract from $1.8 billion to more than $6.2 billion.
Space Force Eyes Operations ‘Hub’ for Expansive Data Transport Constellation
The Space Force plans to stand up a Mission Operations Center to manage the backbone of its hybrid commercial-government data transport constellation, the Space Data Network.
Pentagon’s Big Bet on Reconciliation Sparks Lawmaker Concerns
The Pentagon is counting on Congress to navigate a legislative tightrope and pass a party-line bill to fund nearly a quarter of its $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal 2027, including billions of dollars for top priorities like Golden Dome, the F-35, munitions, and unmanned ...
Trump Picks Schiess as Next Space Force Chief
Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess has been nominated by President Donald Trump to become the next Chief of Space Operations, the top uniformed leader in the U.S. Space Force.