Alan Shepard Becomes the First American in Space

May 5, 1961

Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard Jr. becomes the first Project Mercury astronaut to cross the space frontier. His flight in Freedom 7 lasts 15 minutes, 28 seconds, reaches an altitude of 116.5 miles, and ends 303.8 miles downrange.

Air Force, Space Force Introduce First Acquisition Portfolios in Reform Push

Jan. 8, 2026

The Department of the Air Force announced seven new mission area-focused portfolio acquisition executives for the Air Force and Space Force, some of the department's first steps to implement Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's sweeping acquisition reforms.

ULA Eyes Vulcan’s Second Space Force Launch amid Major Leadership Change

Jan. 7, 2026

United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket is slated to fly its second national security mission in February—nearly six months after its first operational launch and almost a year after it was certified to fly military payloads for the Space Force.

Air Force Drops Mandatory 2-Mile Run on New PT Test, Moves Start Date Up to July

Jan. 7, 2026

Airman will start being officially scored on the new physical fitness assessment in July rather than September and will have an alternative to a two-mile run to prove their cardio fitness, the Air Force announced Jan. 6.

What to Know About the RQ-170 Drone, Venezuela, and Stealthy ISR

Jan. 7, 2026

When Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Air Force Gen. Dan Caine described the 150 aircraft used in Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he referenced many by name, including the F-35 and F-22 fighters and B-1 bomber. Not specified, however, were “remotely piloted drones,” among them a secretive aircraft spotted and photographed returning to Puerto…

PHOTOS: Air Force Flight Ops in Wake of Venezuela Raid

Jan. 6, 2026

The Air Force on Jan. 6 released nearly a dozen photos of F-22 and F-35 fighters returning to Puerto Rico after supporting the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—the first official images of forces who participated in Operation Absolute Resolve.

Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Promotions Soar to Decade-High

Jan. 6, 2026

The Air Force is promoting 640 senior master sergeants to chief master sergeant this year, about a 27 percent increase over last cycle’s numbers. The Space Force is also increasing its senior master sergeant promotions by 48 percent.

Operations and Acquisition: The Space Force Has It Right

Jan. 6, 2026

Recent reports suggest there is a divide between operations and acquisition in the U.S. Space Force, potentially undermining future combat capabilities. The reality, however, is quite the opposite.

F-22s Leave Caribbean as Trump Administration Maps Out Venezuela Strategy

Jan. 5, 2026

On Jan. 4, a dozen U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors departed Puerto Rico, where they had landed following their participation in Operation Absolute Resolve. Those fighters appeared to have flown directly from their home base at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., to participate in the operation and returned there two days…

Procedural Failures, Poor Supervision Led to F-22 Maintainer Death: Report

Jan. 5, 2026

An Air Force maintenance team in Alaska failed to follow “prescribed procedures” while working on an F-22 weapons bay, leading to a mishap March 25, 2024 that killed Staff Sgt. Charles A. Crumlett, according to a recent accident investigation report.

Alan Shepard Becomes the First American in Space

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