AFRL - SPACE VEHICLES RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

AFRL/RV Space Vehicles Directorate

Research Facilities and Programs:

AFRL/RV Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

The Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate is headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, with a major component at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. The space Vehicles Directorate develops technologies to support evolving warfighter requirements to control and exploit space. Primary areas of importance include the battlespace environment, protection of space assets, space vehicle control, space-based sensing, space vehicle technologies (structures, power, thermal management), wargaming, and performing a variety of integrated space technology demonstrations. The Directorate is organized into three technical divisions:

The Surveillance and Control Division develops technologies that enable the warfighter to better assess the battle environment as well as control satellites more affordably. The Division also works to conceive and implement better ways to protect space assets once they are in orbit, such as designing space-qualified computer components able to withstand the harsh radiation environment of space. Division specialists also use computers to simulate and model the space environment for purposes of warming and "fly before you build" technologies that ultimately lower space costs.

The Battlespace Environment Division seeks to better understand the environment between the Earth and Sun and its effects on military systems and operations. Division scientists are interested in space and ionospheric physics, atmospheric and Earth sciences, and optical and infrared technologies. Their products include geophysical models and data bases, design standards, and prototype hardware and software.

The Space Technology and Integration and Demonstration Division develops technologies for smaller, lighter, cheaper, and higher performance spacecraft structures; power generation and storage systems; and thermal control systems. The Division conducts ground, airborne, balloon, and space experiments to gather scientific data and demonstrate proof-of-concept technologies. The Division also provides the opportunity to integrate technologies from across the Air Force Research Laboratory for emerging military space concepts and vehicle technologies, which are otherwise unavailable or not mature enough from commercial and civil sources, in support of the warfighter.

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