From advent to milstar: The United States air force and the challenges of military satellite communications

United States Air Force interest in satellite communications actually predates establishment of the service itself. From Project RAND's May 1946 report on the feasibility of a world-circling spaceship to the December 1958 launch of SCORE, the Air Force helped advance satellite communications from pure concept to proven initial capability. With failure of the Army's Advent programme in 1962, the Air Force assumed primary responsibility for development of dedicated military communication satellites. From DSCS in the late 1960s to Milstar in the 1990s, the Air Force has continued to provide ever more reliable, survivable satellites for critical command and control communications. At the same time, the rising cost of such defense satellites has compelled Air Force planners to rely increasingly on commercial satellite systems to satisfy less critical military communication requirements. This article explores the evolution of Air Force involvement with communication satellites, including trends on the eve of the 21st century.