When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
‘Space is closer than you think.’
A near-future rocket launch is the keystone of the newest U.S. Space Force recruiting website.
Space Force launched a fresh website face this week, featuring an interactive animation of a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket sending a GPS satellite into space.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket’s long-awaited first flight is expected in the first quarter of 2023. Curiously, however, the next GPS launch is actually going to be on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than January, the military has said.
“Space lift team: heading to the launch pad momentarily,” the new Space Force recruiting website animation announces as the more than 200-foot (61-meter) Vulcan rocket stands ready. At your command, the rocket launches into space and gets ready to deploy the GPS satellite.
Related: US Space Force practices ‘space combat tactics’ to win a European conflict
Clickable options allow you to learn about the parts of the rocket or satellite, as well as associated careers. The campaign is all part of Space Force’s newest recruiting push, not that they are suffering for opportunities: “We have more volunteers that we have spots to fill,” Lt. Gen. Bradley Saltzman told the Senate Armed Services Committee in September, according to the Air Force Times.
Saltzman added their recruitment issue is not so much sheer numbers, but qualifications, as new guardians require “highly skilled technical experts to be brought in to do these important critical missions.”
In November there were roughly 8,400 personnel in Space Force, which is the smallest and youngest of the U.S. military branches, according to Defense One.
ULA was the sole supplier for military GPS launches for decades, using the Delta II, Delta IV and Atlas V rockets. SpaceX’s first GPS launch was in December 2018 that kickstarted liftoffs of the GPS III advanced satellites. That launch marked the company’s first official “National Security Space” mission — a designation assigned to launches deemed critical to national defense.
In August 2020, the U.S. Space Force and Air Force jointly selected ULA and SpaceX for military launch contracts that could be worth billions, and that are expected to send satellites to space through 2025. ULA received 60% of the satellite launch contracts and SpaceX received 40%. At the time, Vulcan was expected to make its first flight in 2021.
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of “Why Am I Taller?” (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. Follow her on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth’s reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, “Why Am I Taller?”, is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada’s Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada’s Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada’s Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace
India to launch Aditya-L1, its 1st solar probe, on Sept. 2
Virgin Galactic to launch next space tourist flight on Sept. 8
The CIA knows a lot about other nations’ space programs. You can too with its new ‘World Factbook’ update
By Brett Tingley
By Monisha Ravisetti
By Ben Turner
By Sharmila Kuthunur
By Sharmila Kuthunur
By Robert Lea
By Joe Rao
By Jeff Spry
By Tereza Pultarova
By Tariq Malik
By Robert Z. Pearlman
Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.