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Space Force leaders brought their outreach campaign to Western Kentucky University on May 22, pairing a public panel with screenings of the service’s immersive planetarium film, “Always Above,” to explain how space operations underpin daily life and national security.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna, and Brig. Gen. Nick Hague—Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations and a former NASA astronaut—fielded questions about the 6½-year-old service’s mission, capabilities, and plans. The visit targeted a community that doesn’t frequently encounter Guardians or their work.
“When you think about the agricultural industry, the financial industry, the transportation industry … all really rely on space capabilities,” Bentivegna said. “If you went and got gas today, used an ATM, paid with a credit card or used GPS to get to where you’re going, all that comes from space.”
To coincide with the panel, the university hosted multiple showings of “Always Above,” a 12-minute, full-dome film that visualizes the links between Earth and space and illustrates how satellites enable communication, navigation, weather forecasting, and defense. The documentary also offers a window into Guardians’ day-to-day mission sets.
“The Space Force is all about protecting our [nation’s space] capabilities,” Saltzman said. “We also have to recognize that other countries are building satellites that are designed to target our forces.”
Debuted in May 2025, the film has drawn tens of thousands of viewers nationwide and online over the past year, according to the service. Saltzman said the project is meant to counter the tendency to overlook space activities. “The problem with space is it’s a little bit out of sight, out of mind, quite frankly,” he said. “I wanted to come up with some kind of experience that people could understand that the Space Force is out there, it’s important.”
By bringing senior leaders and the film to Bowling Green, the service is trying to strengthen ties with local audiences and spark interest among students who may pursue space and technology careers. Information about screenings and viewing options is available through official Space Force channels.
