Air Force Association

On This Day in Space! 🚀🌍

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📅 **February 7, 1984** – The world’s first untethered spacewalk.

On this day, **NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II** became the first person to conduct a spacewalk without a tether, floating freely in the vastness of space.

Equipped with the **Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU)**—a jetpack-like system with gas thrusters—McCandless was able to venture **320 feet away from the Space Shuttle Challenger**, marking a historic moment in human spaceflight.

This daring mission demonstrated new possibilities for satellite servicing, station assembly, and future deep-space exploration.

**A salute to McCandless and all pioneers who push the limits of exploration!** 🛰️🇺🇸

📸: NASA

Launch Mission USSF-62

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Do you watch the SpaceX launches online from Vandenberg Space Force Base? This morning’s launch was Mission USSF-62 for U.S. Space Force of a Falcon 9 rocket putting a WSF-M satellite into a low-earth orbit. It is a next-generation spacecraft that “will provide critical and actionable weather intelligence to military operations in all warfighting domains,” according to BAE Systems, which developed and built the satellite. April 11 2024

82nd Anniversary of Doolittle Raid

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An Army B-25 takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, on its way to take part in first U.S. air raid on the Japanese mainland. (USN)

The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is hosting the “Doolittle Raiders Toast,” a heritage event commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the Doolittle Raid in 1942. The ceremony, organized by AFA’s Doolittle Leadership Center, will be held on April 18, 2024, and livestreamed on YouTube. For more information click here.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

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Today March 29th we honor National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are more than 7 million U.S. Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, along with 10 million families of those who served during this timeframe. And we must not forget the 58,281 United States Men and Women who served their country and gave their all.

Just Dropping By

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U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron land near Aviano Air Base, Italy, March 13, 2024. The 57th RQS provides personnel recovery, combat search and rescue, civil search and rescue and casualty evacuation to fulfill U.S. European Command, U. S. Africa Command and NATO security cooperation requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Bartoszek) Airman Magazine March 30 2024

AFA Crowns CyberPatriot XVI Champions

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Team W.A.T.T. from Troy High School Navy JROTC (Fullerton, Calif.) won in the All Service Division of CyberPatriot XVI. March 17, 2024. Photo by Mike Tsukamoto, Air & Space Forces Association

ROCKVILLE, Md.—CyberPatriot’s 16th season came to an exciting end on March 18, with the announcement of the winners of the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) annual National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. The competition field started with 5,183 teams and just 28 qualified for the National Finals. March 22 2024 Read the full story here or click on the photograph.

Future Airmen

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Second Lt. Madison Marsh, crowned Miss America 2024, meets future Airmen just before they take the oath of enlistment at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 17, 2024. Ahead of the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race, Marsh spoke with students across the city about serving both in and out of uniform. (U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber)

HALO Jump

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U.S. Air Force members assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron conduct a tandem High Altitude, Low Opening jump from a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules cargo aircraft over East Africa, Feb. 27, 2024. HALO jumps are performed from altitudes where oxygen is limited, requiring members to employ specialized training beyond standard parachute insertions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne) Luke Air Force Base

South Carolina Electronic Warfare Range

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U.S. Air Force maintainers prepare an F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron, to fly during a South Carolina Electronic Warfare Range (SCEWR) exercise at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Dec. 13, 2023. The SCEWR initiative is employed in exercises aimed at replicating a more realistic combat scenario to better challenge the capabilities of the wing’s pilots, fighter aircraft and maintainers. It requires combining several local airspaces in partnership and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow pilots to train in a wider force exercise training scenario. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mariana Tafur) For the full story from Shaw Air Force Base click on the photograph. March 8, 2024.