July 28, 2025 AFRL welcomes new Space Vehicles director Col. Richard R. Beckman assumed command as director of the Space Vehicles Directorate and commander of the Phillips Research Site, Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, July 15, 2025.
Dec. 17, 2024 AFRL hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony at new FORTRESS facility KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFRL) – The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Radiation Tolerance Research on Electronics for Space and Strategic Systems, or FORTRESS, building here. FORTRESS, a Space Vehicles Directorate facility, will
Oct. 24, 2023 1st international CRADA between AFRL, Indian startups ignites strategic collaboration for USSF in space technologies Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. (AFRL) – In a historic achievement, scientists from the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, are leading the first non-domestic Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, between the U.S. Space Force and companies located outside the U.S. This signing
Aug. 10, 2023 AFRL recognizes 2023 New Mexico Excellence in STEM at annual awards event Teachers, students, businesses and volunteers were recognized as winners at the 2023 New Mexico Excellence in STEM Awards, or STEMYS, an event hosted by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s, or AFRL, Tech Engagement Office in June. The annual awards honor individuals and organizations in New Mexico
May 12, 2023 AFRL, NASA partner with 8 universities for new Mission Concept Program The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, and NASA announced their collaboration with eight universities for a new Mission Concept Program, or MCP, from Jan. 5 to Feb. 3, 2024. The program, sponsored by AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate, is held under the University Nanosatellite Program, or UNP,
Feb. 28, 2023 AFRL holds 10th annual Space Domain Awareness Leadership Workshop The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, hosted the 10th annual Space Domain Awareness Leadership Workshop at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, Jan. 24–26, 2023.
Feb. 21, 2023 AFRL celebrates research for nation’s defense The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, held ceremonies Feb. 8-9, 2023, to recognize its 2022 annual award recipients and nominees for the Space Vehicles Directorate and Directed Energy Directorate.
Feb. 1, 2023 AFRL partners with NASA in CubeSat navigation, communication mission The Air Force Research Laboratory’s, or AFRL, newest sensor experiment deployed from the International Space Station Dec. 29, 2022, hosted on NASA’s six-unit cube satellite named petitSat, or Plasma Enhancements in the Ionosphere-Thermosphere Satellite. The CubeSat’s mission is to study a layer in
Jan. 26, 2023 Latest milestone brings NTS-3 Vanguard closer to 2023 launch The Department of the Air Force’s Navigation Technology Satellite-3, or NTS-3, Vanguard program has reached another major milestone in preparation for the satellite’s launch in late 2023.
Jan. 20, 2023 AFRL infrastructure projects boost readiness, security While the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is notable for developments inside the lab, a series of projects at AFRL sites across the U.S. is modernizing infrastructure and strengthening science and technology capabilities for national defense. These projects include new rocket fabrication