US Space Force requests parabolic‑flight services for summer cadet program

The United States Space Force (USSF) has released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking industry input on the provision of parabolic‑flight services for the Space Delta 1, Detachment 1 “Azimuth” summer training program.

The initiative, hosted at the United States Air Force Academy, offers senior military cadets a hands‑on introduction to physical operations in the space domain, including neutral‑buoyancy training, microgravity experiments, and rocket construction.

The RFI, released Friday, outlines a prospective contract that could span up to five years—one base year followed by three optional one-year extensions and a final fourth‑year option.

The core requirement is a fleet of aircraft capable of executing 15 parabola flights each summer, delivering a mix of Martian (0.38 g), Lunar (0.16 g), and zero‑gravity (0 g) profiles. Each flight is expected to carry roughly 25 cadets and last about four hours, inclusive of transit, pre-flight briefings, the parabola sequence, and post-flight debriefs.

RFI respondents are asked to submit capability statements that illustrate innovative approaches to delivering parabolic‑flight services.

The flights will originate and conclude at Colorado Springs Airport in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The USSF Space Delta 1, Detachment 1 Azimuth program is a unique summer space education and training program for military cadets hosted at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It offers an immersive introduction to physical operations in the space domain. The program includes academics, industry and military visits, neutral buoyancy, microgravity, and rocket building.

Cadets experience the effects of lunar, Martian, and microgravity by flying in a modified aircraft and conducting demonstrations and research in simulated space environments.

The need for parabolic flight services is growing.

Aircraft Boost Access to Reduced‑Gravity Research

In January, NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California issued a market‑research RFI aimed at expanding the agency’s Flight Opportunities program. The RFI seeks input from commercial and academic entities capable of providing Parabolic Flight Services that deliver microgravity and reduced‑gravity environments for technology testing and scientific experiments.

NASA’s Flight Opportunities program traditionally relies on a fleet of modified agency aircraft that fly a series of steep climbs and dives—known as “parabolas”—to create short bursts of weightlessness lasting up to 25 seconds or more. While these flights have supported a range of research, from fluid dynamics to human physiology, the agency is now looking to diversify its options.