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United States Space Force

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Report
Ensuring Mission Assurance While Conducting Rapid Space Acquisition
As the U.S. Space Force pursues rapid acquisition of warfighting capabilities, a key question is whether the streamlining techniques being used to get new space systems to operators quickly create mission assurance vulnerabilities.
Dec 19, 2022
Report
How Do China and Russia Perceive U.S. Military Activities in Space?
Chinese and Russian primary sources reflect a perception that U.S. space activities are threatening and demonstrate hostile intent. At the same time, they characterize their own, similar actions as nonthreatening. Washington, Beijing, and Moscow appear to be caught in an action-reaction cycle that perpetuates justifications for continued military action in space.
Oct 11, 2022

Explore United States Space Force

Commentary
A Framework for Building a Civil Reserve Space Program
If the United States were to create a civil reserve space program, what factors should the Department of Defense consider to balance potential benefits, risks, and costs?
Nov 29, 2023
Brochure
An Enduring Partnership to Address the Department of the Air Force's Greatest Challenges
This brochure describes PAF's institutional values, research areas, expertise, and recent successes as well as how to access previous research, commission a PAF project, and engage with PAF leadership.
Sep 27, 2023
Commentary
Speaking in One Voice to Advance Space Acquisition
Space acquisition is hard, and many challenges remain today for development of true unity of effort. But a new “clean sheet” is not the answer. Such an approach simply cannot take the place of doing the hard work required to realize enduring change.
Sep 6, 2023
Report
Leveraging Commercial Space Services: Opportunities and Risks for the Department of the Air Force
RAND researchers evaluated two commercial space markets to understand opportunities, challenges, and risks that the Department of the Air Force could encounter when making decisions to invest in commercial space capabilities.
Sep 6, 2023
Report
Improving Integration and Synchronization of Space Acquisition and Fielding
The authors of this research explored ways the United States Space Force can facilitate the integration and synchronization of space acquisition and fielding to support the delivery of end-to-end space capabilities to outpace adversary threats.
Aug 31, 2023
Report
A Framework of Deterrence in Space Operations
This report presents a framework on the nature and requirements of deterrence in space operations . Drawing on lessons from nuclear and cyber and selected national approaches to space deterrence, it presents three archetypes for space deterrence.
Aug 31, 2023
Brochure
Saving the Government Money: Examples from RAND's FFRDCs
RAND's defense-related federally funded research and development centers apply research capital they have developed over the years to help decisionmakers solve problems and often save money as well. This publication lists and briefly summarizes some RAND projects undertaken over the past several years that have helped save the government money or that have identified ways to do so.
Aug 25, 2023
Report
Overcoming Barriers to Working with Highly Capable Allies and Partners in the Air, Space, and Cyber Domains: An Exploratory Analysis
In this report, the authors consider how the United States can enhance engagement with highly capable allies and partners to improve interoperability by identifying some of the main barriers to security cooperation with these countries.
Jul 5, 2023
Commentary
Designing a New Framework for the U.S. Space Force Workforce
The authors of this Perspective outline a way for the U.S. Space Force to develop its officer workforce that is not tied to the traditional Air Force structure of stovepiped career fields.
Jun 1, 2023
Report
Supporting the U.S. Space Force Single-Component Structure: Impediments for Members Transitioning Between Full-Time and Part-Time Participation
U.S. Space Force leadership envisions a service in which Guardians transition easily between full- and part-time service. Five impediments discussed in this report make it unnecessarily difficult to make these transitions between types of service.
May 1, 2023
Brochure
Addressing Challenges in Defense Acquisition: Insights from RAND Research
This portfolio of Project AIR FORCE research conducted for the Department of the Air Force and more broadly across RAND offers insights for overcoming acquisition challenges and improving agility within the Defense Acquisition System.
May 1, 2023
Report
The Resilience Assessment Framework: Assessing Commercial Contributions to U.S. Space Force Mission Resilience
This report describes the resilience assessment framework that RAND Project AIR FORCE developed to assess the potential impact of integrating select commercial space services on U.S. Space Force mission performance.
Apr 27, 2023
Report
Understanding, Managing, and Reporting U.S. Space Force Readiness
As a branch of the U.S. military, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) must understand, manage, and report its readiness. The authors of this report have created a readiness framework for the USSF and instructions on how to implement it.
Mar 7, 2023
Report
Space Competition and the Dynamics of Conflict: Using Game Theory and Artificial Intelligence to Gain Strategic Insight
The authors summarize research about using a game-theoretic model of competition and cooperation in space to examine the dynamics of conflict there, short of wars of total destruction. They focus specifically on the dynamics of space competition .
Jul 5, 2022
Blog
Russian Mercenaries, Online Extremism, the Commercial Space Market: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Russia's use of mercenaries, understanding how extremist movements operate online, trends in the commercial space market, and more.
Apr 15, 2022
Report
Commercial Space Market Development and Trends
The growing commercial space industry offers a range of capabilities and services, including emerging technologies. Opportunities for the U.S. Space Force and Department of Defense to leverage these capabilities for military purposes are expanding. What concerns should stakeholders address?
Apr 14, 2022
Q&A
Building Better Government Acquisition Programs: Q&A with William Shelton
In the U.S. Air Force, William Shelton managed hundreds of millions of dollars in acquisition programs. He retired as a colonel then joined RAND as an engineer. One of his recent projects provided the U.S. Space Force with a new approach to acquisition, designed around its unique mission.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
Nasty, Brutish, and Short—The Future of Space Operations in the Absence of the Rule of Law: Addressing Congestion, Contestation, and Competitiveness in the New Space Era
Existing treaties and laws are not sufficient to govern space given the dramatic growth in space activity. Ensuring a safe, secure, and prosperous space for all nations may require the application of social contract theory to space governance.
Feb 15, 2022

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RAND Topic:
United States Space Force

Topic Synonyms:
U.S. Space Force

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Michael Spirtas

Associate Director, RAND National Security Research Division

Michael Spirtas is associate director of the RAND National Security Research Division and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. He has worked in a number of policy areas, including U.S. defense strategy, force development, and command and control. He has also served as a force…
Gwen Mazzotta

Policy Analyst

Gwen Mazzotta is a policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, where her work has focused on space escalation, defense acquisition (including rapid acquisition, environmental considerations, and commercial derivative aircraft), and commercial human space flight. Mazzotta completed her graduate…

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