On July 1, 1954, the
Western Development Division (WDD) of the United States Air Force was established, under the command of
Brig Gen Bernard A. Schriever. WDD was responsible for the development of the
intercontinental ballistic missile. The
Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation (RW) was identified as the civilian organization responsible for
systems engineering for the ICBM program. Their Space Technology Laboratories (STL) was responsible for all missile tasks. Despite early successes, there was criticism from both government and industry on the role RW played as a system engineer, in particular, that RW held a privileged position with the Air Force. In 1958 RW merged with Thompson Products to become
TRW and the Space Technology Laboratories became an independent subsidiary of TRW, but concerns regarding conflicts of interest persisted. In September 1959,
United States Congress issued
House Report 1121 which recommended that STL be converted into a non-profit institution. Congress wanted the establishment of an organization, free from conflict of interest, to aid the Air Force in "applying the full resources of modern science and technology to the problem of achieving those continuing advances in
ballistic missiles and military space systems." On June 3, 1960, Aerospace was established under the laws of the State of
California as a nonprofit corporation. On June 25, 1960, at a press conference held at the U.S. Air Force Ballistic Missile Division headquarters in
El Segundo, California,
Lt. Gen. Bernard A. Schriever announced the "formation of a new nonprofit organization, The Aerospace Corporation, to serve the Air Force in the scientific and technical planning and management of missile-space programs." Among the earliest projects it supported were the
Dyna-Soar orbital spaceplane,
Project Mercury, and the man-rating of the
Atlas (rocket) intercontinental ballistic missile. The Aerospace Corporation provided general systems engineering and technical direction for the
Titan II missile, first tested in 1962, which became the launch vehicle for
Project Gemini. Other notable projects of the 1960s include the advanced ballistic re-entry system (ABRES), the Air Force's
Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL), the
Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS), and the
Defense Support Program (DSP). During the 1970s, Aerospace began performing advanced space program analysis and program studies for
NASA's development of the Space Transportation System (STS), more commonly known as the
Space Shuttle. Aerospace also began tests on airborne UHF terminals for the Air Force Satellite Communications System, AFSATCOM. In the mid-70s Aerospace assumed general systems engineering and integration responsibility for the
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). Beginning in 1973, a program office was established to assist the Air Force in the creation of the
Global Positioning System (GPS). In recognition of their GPS collaboration, Aerospace shared the 1992
Robert J. Collier Trophy, the nation's highest award for aeronautical achievement, "for the most significant development for safe and efficient navigation and surveillance of air and spacecraft since the introduction of radio navigation 50 years ago." Throughout the 1980s, Aerospace supported the
Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), the
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), the
Milstar and
DSCS satellite communication systems, and
antisatellite (ASAT) programs. They provided planning, design, and evaluation for the
Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) and the Consolidated Space Operations Center at
Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado. During this same time period, the company also provided systems engineering and integration for launch vehicles, including the
Atlas,
Titan II,
Titan IV, and
Delta II. In the 1990s, Aerospace participated in the planning and development of system requirements for the
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, the next generation of launch vehicles. They continued to provide launch vehicle systems engineering for the
Atlas II,
Delta III, and
Titan IVB. Satellite program support included Wideband Gapfiller, Space Based Laser, the Ultrahigh-Frequency Follow-On program, and the Global Broadcast Service. Throughout the second half of the 90s, the corporation conducted independent assessments for the
International Space Station, provided technical support for the
Cassini spacecraft, and supported the acquisition of the
Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite constellation. Most recently, The Aerospace Corporation provided further technical assistance to EELV programs including the
Atlas V and
Delta IV, and supported planning for
Space Radar to provide global persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to the
Department of Defense. Aerospace has been involved in the analysis of concept designs for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System (SSTS). Aerospace plays an integral role in the development of the
Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program that will replace the Milstar system. Another system that Aerospace was supporting is the
Transformational Satellite Communications System MILSATCOM architecture to link military and reconnaissance communication networks. However, it was canceled per the recommendations of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates due to DoD budgetary constraints. Aerospace remains a significant partner in the continuing evolution of the GPS system. Aerospace has been playing a leading role in the planning and acquisition of
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite for the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 2005, Aerospace supported the Air Force Affordable Responsive Spacelift (ARES) launch system demonstration program. ==Capabilities==