On 21 May 2025, the AFHF held a symposium that focused on the establishment of the us Space Force. Panel Presentations were delivered by museum professionals, astronauts, expert historians, and Air Force Historical Foundation members. It was an impressive and diverse gathering of presenters and attendees. Topics ranged from comparisons of the Western Frontier to the frontier of Space, the creation of the USSF by those present, and a look into the education of the future Space Force by those leading the charge.
The Kickoff speech was delivered by Roger Launius. From 1982 to 1990, Launius held several positions as a civilian historian with the United States Air Force. He was Former chief historian of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and also Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum.
He is the author, most recently, of NACA to NASA to Now: The Frontiers of Air and Space in the American Century (NASA SP-2022-4419, 2023); Apollo’s Legacy: The Space Race in Perspective (Smithsonian Books, 2019); Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of Space Race (Yale University Press, 2019); and The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future (Smithsonian Books, 2018). He is also this year’s recipient of the I.B. Holley Award for lifetime achievement in the practice and preservation of Air Force History.
To summarize each of the terrific panel and individual presentations would take many pages. Thankfully, we do not have to. The entire conference was recorded with the help and generosity of the Air and Space Forces Association. Each presentation can be accessed directly on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKKBQ39u880_wa3hn8uKgqzYm-Zms3yv.
We have many to thank for their contributions and assistance in the symposium effort. If you ge t the opportunity to review the symposium panel presentations, speeches, or awards presentation, please consider a donation to the Foundation to help with next year’s symposium. Every donation to that end will go directly to the 2026 symposium currently in the planning phase. Click here to contribute: https://afhistory.org/support/donate/