Fairford Serves as Shuttle Site:

Nov. 26, 2007

Airmen at RAF Fairford, Britain, have been dusting off their plans for the space shuttle as one of several abort landing sites. TSgt. Kristina Barrett reports that Fairford would be the transatlantic abort landing site should Atlantis need to abort and land within the first 14 minutes of its Dec. 6 launch. Members of the Air Force’s space flight support staff at Patrick AFB, Fla., tested the Fairford airmen on their response capabilities earlier this month.

Related Content

How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New

Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.

Why Do We Need a Space Force? Here’s This Guardian’s Answer

Dec. 20, 2024
“The Space Force is now five years old, yet most Americans don’t even know it exists, not to mention what it does or why we need it. That’s an uncomfortable fact and a problem for the entire nation that every Guardian needs to understand and take seriously,” writes retired USSF…

Experts: US Not Organized or Equipped for the Coming Electromagnetic Wars in Space 

Dec. 20, 2024
Space-based capabilities like GPS and satellite communications are vital to modern warfighting—and they are also most easily attackable via the electromagnetic spectrum via jamming or spoofing the radio transmissions that provide their command and control. But the Department of Defense’s electromagnetic warfare efforts in space are hamstrung by poor coordination…

Space Force, Air Force Need More Money, Kendall Says

Dec. 19, 2024
There’s a clear consensus within the Pentagon that the Space Force needs more money to tackle its growing mission and support the joint force—but don’t go raiding the Air Force’s budget to provide it, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said Dec. 19.