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
Very Low-Earth Orbit: How the Space Force Is Exploring Ops at Lower Altitudes
As commercial companies, universities, and research agencies develop new approaches to operating satellites at lower and lower altitudes, the Space Force is taking notice and considering how it might leverage those advances in both the near and long term.
Pentagon Loans $150M to LeoLabs to Build Ground Radars
The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital announced a $150 million loan agreement to space intelligence company LeoLabs to expand its manufacturing capacity and add dozens of radars to its global network by 2030.
Space Force Chief Eyes Growth in Components to Meet Operational Demand
The Space Force wants to increase the size of its components to better support combatant commands in the coming years, according to Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess. “We’re going to add 2,800 Guardians and 2,000 civilians in fiscal 2027 if the budget comes through,” ...
Space Force Weighs Proliferated Cislunar Satellite Constellation
The Space Force is considering launching up to five satellites to cislunar space as soon as 2029 to help lay the foundation for a future proliferated constellation between Earth and the moon.
AFRL Plans to Award $30M for Cislunar Project Starting Next Spring
The Air Force Research Laboratory plans to launch its latest technology challenge next month—a project meant to speed up development of systems that can operate beyond geosynchronous orbit. SpaceWERX is leading the effort, dubbed Cislunar Prime. The space innovation hub is looking for commercial capabilities that ...
ULA Says Vulcan Rocket Will Launch Again in November After Monthslong Pause
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket—sidelined since February after an anomaly—is scheduled to return to flight Nov. 13 to launch a batch of satellites for Amazon’s high-speed internet constellation in low-Earth orbit.
Pentagon to Give Startup Stoke Space $150M Loan for New Launch Pad
The Pentagon plans to issue a $150 million loan to Stoke Space Technologies, an emerging space launch provider, to help it expand its footprint at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, Fla. The Defense Department announced the plan Oct. 26. The loan, managed by DOD’s Office ...
Space Force Wants Cislunar Kit Ready to Launch by 2029
For years now, Space Force officials have said the service is getting serious about defining its role and crafting an architecture for future cislunar capabilities. Now, the Space Force is taking steps to realize that vision, asking industry to rapidly invest and develop satellites and ...
Space Force Picks Six Companies for Commercial Reserve Fleet
The Space Force has selected six commercial space domain awareness companies to support military operations with both steady-state and surge capacity, as part of the service’s new Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve.
Space Force Needs Third Launch Range by 2030, Acquisition Leader Says
The head of the Space Force’s largest acquisition organization said the service needs a third spaceport to support medium and heavy launch by 2030—a goal he called “aspirational” even as he stressed the importance of building out the U.S. military’s launch infrastructure.
Space Forces Central Poised for ‘Fivefold’ Growth in Coming Years
The general in charge of the Space Force’s component to U.S. Central Command said Oct. 19 he expects that in about three years his small team of Guardians will be five times the size it is today—growth that he said is needed to meet the ...
Meet the Task Force Trying to Turn Golden Dome Into Reality
A Golden Dome task force established under U.S. Northern Command earlier this year has a broad remit, which includes fielding the capability to defend the U.S. against missile and drone attacks, its leaders said this week. Some of the primary focuses right now are ensuring ...
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming ...
AFRL Partners with Virgin Galactic to Gather Data on Space Weather
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic announced a new partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s space warfare directorate to collect and share space weather data from the company’s suborbital spacecraft, due for its first commercial flight next year.
Space Force Activates Component Under Special Operations Command
The Space Force has officially established its component to U.S. Special Operations Command, creating a ninth component charged with presenting space expertise to commanders in the field.