Defense Research Sciences - Space
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is researching, analyzing and developing technology through the Defense Research Sciences Project 0601102SF (Project 610001) to support Guardians across Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation. The effects of our efforts will ensure that future Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation have the necessary experimentation and analytic results for future USSF R&D activities. Defense Research Sciences consists of research activities in academia and industry along with research performed in the Department of the Air Force (DAF), including the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Institute of Technology, and the United States Air Force Academy. This program supports basic broad-based scientific and engineering research in areas critical to the five core technical competencies of the United States Space Force: Space Security; Combat Power Projection; Space Mobility and Logistics; Information Mobility; and Space Domain Awareness, while simultaneously building capacity in academia and cultivating the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline. All research areas are subject to long-range planning and technical review by both DAF and tri-service scientific planning groups. In order to manage, execute, and deliver Science and Technology (S&T) capabilities, this program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses; expenses to support the operation and maintenance of facilities; as well as expenses related to travel, supplies, IT hardware, software and support, administrative contractor services, etc. Funds in this program element may be used to investigate specified science advancements primarily targeted to challenges in the space domain and multi-domain research with space-domain application. This program falls within the S&T and Test & Evaluation (T&E) mission area which provides the S&T initiatives, demonstrations, experiments, and studies towards developing next-generation space capabilities. The T&E mission area provides all efforts required to establish and operate the test infrastructure for USSF capabilities.
- Continue to understand the solar terrestrial environment extending from the Sun through Earth's magnetosphere and radiation belts to the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region to improve operational space weather forecasting. - Continue to advance the fundamental understanding of the physical processes that impact the motion and…
Read the FY2027 plan →FY2027 planned work - Continue to leverage international expertise to identify and maintain awareness of foreign scientific developments. - Continue to explore foreign investments and influence premier scientific leaders on specific topics of interest to the Department of the Air Force. - Continue to pursue access to and enable transition of fundamental scientific discoveries relevant to the U.S. Space Force. - Continue to support international engagements by scientists and high-level DoW fundamental science delegations, providing primary interface to coordinate international science and technology participation among DoW organizations.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2027 increased compared to FY 2026 by $0.017 million due to minor programmatic adjustments to the DAF Science and Technology portfolio.
FY2026 plans — current year - Leverage international expertise to identify and maintain awareness of foreign scientific developments. - Explore foreign investments and influence premier scientific leaders on specific topics of interest to the Department of the Air Force. - Pursue access to and enable transition of fundamental scientific discoveries relevant to the U.S. Space Force. - Support international engagements by scientists and high-level DoW fundamental science delegations, providing primary interface to coordinate international science and technology participation among DoW organizations.