Author: Mary Shinn
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Space Force staffing up, investing in raises, addressing deferred maintenance
After civilian employee cuts across the Department of Defense last year, the Space Force is now hiring staff to work on the largest military modernization push since World War II. “Talent is the single most important ingredient,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, who oversees the Space Force. The secretary spoke to an…
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Space Force budget bodes well for Colorado Springs, even as Space Command leaves
As Space Command headquarters sets up shop in Alabama, local leaders highlighted the growth Colorado Springs can expect as the Space Force prepares for its budget to potentially double to $71 billion and its workforce to grow. Colorado is home to more than 50% of the Space Force’s workforce —guardians who run the GPS satellites,…
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Peterson, Schriever Space Force bases expected to need AI data centers
As the Space Force prepares for its workload to expand, Colorado Springs should expect to see military-centric data centers move to town. Hundreds of military satellites are expected to be sent into orbit to track threats, such as hypersonic missiles. The satellites will generate a tremendous amount of data that local Space Force guardians and…
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Amid record low snowpack, Colorado cities impose restrictions, farmers brace for ‘disaster’
By Mary Shinn and Savannah Eller In the West, water is for fighting, but this year, for many, there might not be much to battle over. The critical snowpack that sustains cities, farmers and ranchers is the lowest in memory. Some areas in the high country were barren at the start of the month. Cities,…
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Space race with China driving investment to counter hypersonic missile threat
As Space Symposium kicked off n Colorado Springs last week, retired Gen. John Hyten, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminded a packed ballroom about the 65th anniversary of the first manned space flight around the world. On April 12, 1961, a cosmonaut from the Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin, circled the world,…
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Space race with China driving investment to counter hypersonic missile threat
As Space Symposium kicked off n Colorado Springs last week, retired Gen. John Hyten, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminded a packed ballroom about the 65th anniversary of the first manned space flight around the world. On April 12, 1961, a cosmonaut from the Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin, circled the world,…
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Space race with China driving investment to counter hypersonic missile threat
As Space Symposium kicked off, retired Gen. John Hyten, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminded a packed ballroom Sunday marked the 65th anniversary of the first manned space flight around the world. On April 12, 1961, a cosmonaut from the Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin, circled the world, beating the U.S. “That…
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Air Force Academy announces new commandant
The Air Force Academy announced Thursday Col. Brandon Tellez will take over as the next commandant of cadets, charged with leading the military training of the aspiring officers. Tellez is a former fighter pilot with 300 combat hours and currently serves as the senior executive officer to the Air Force vice chief of staff, according…
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After losing limbs, WWI and II vets may not have received deserved Medals of Honor; lawmakers call for review
Colorado lawmakers are asking the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to re-examine acts of heroism among veterans who lost limbs during the world wars to see if they should receive Medals of Honor. The lawmakers want to ensure bias did not influence the decisions of the honors that amputees received for their valor. In some…
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Space Force to see budget, personnel boost amid renewed space race
The Trump administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget features a big monetary and personnel boost for the Space Force, the young military branch with a bulk of its employees in Colorado. The number of Space Force guardians could grow from almost 10,000 in 2025 to 13,200 next year, while the research, development and test budget…