Activities to raise AEHF-1, the Air Force’s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite, into its operational position are proceeding per plan, according to USAF space officials. “The satellite is safe, it continues to operate as planned, and it is expected to reach geosynchronous orbit in late summer 2011,” reads a release Thursday from Space and Missile Systems Center officials at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. Shortly after the satellite’s launch last August, an anomaly with one of its propulsion systems forced the Air Force to devise an alternate way to lift the satellite into its correct operational perch. This issue has delayed the satellite’s scheduled operational date. “Throughout the anomaly recovery, re-planning, and orbit raising operations, a government and contractor team has demonstrated incredible technical expertise and innovation to work around the anomaly and create the opportunity to achieve mission success of this critical national asset,” states the release.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent direction that the military services return to a more old-school approach to basic training—with instructors "tossing bunks" and "putting their hands on recruits”—will likely require the Air Force to rewrite policies for military training instructors it has modified over time to cut down on such…
