3d Space Experimentation Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 3d Space Experimentation Squadron (3 SES) is a space control unit located at Schriever AFB in Colorado
.
. It was later renamed Det. 3, 73d Space Group
in January 1991. The home for the 3d SS (project name RINGO) was completed on March 16, 1991. Two antennas, an operations building, support building, pump housing and entry control point were constructed beginning on October 1, 1991, and was completed on May 31, 1992. Later that year, the unit was redesignated 3d Space Surveillance Squadron, while their Deep Space Tracking System obtained initial operating capability in April 1994.
The current designation of the unit, the 3d Space Experimentation Squadron began on March 10, 2006, with its new home at Mod 9, Schriever AFB, Colorado
.
The squadron is one of two Deep Space Tracking System squadrons located throughout the world. The DSTS tracks objects orbiting more than 22,300 miles above the Earth. More than 9,500 man-made objects orbit the Earth, ranging in size from a baseball to the Mir space station.
The 3d SPSS forwards this data to the 1st Command and Control Squadron and the Space Control Center, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, CO. The 1st CACS and the center use this information, along with other data, to catalog and identify all man-made Earth-orbiting objects. Several agencies use this information for everything from collision avoidance to intelligence. Because of its mission, the 3d SPSS works closely with Det. 3, 18th Intelligence Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO. The detachment provides specialized intelligence information necessary for the 3d SPSS to perform its deep space surveillance mission. Though Det. 3 is controlled by the 18th IS at Schriever AFB, it is an administrative subordinate of the 544th Intelligence Group at Peterson.
The 3d Space Surveillance Squadron was originally constituted as the 3d Surveillance Squadron on August 10, 1990. The squadron stood up as
Assigned to the 73d Space Group, the 3d was tasked with operating passive sensors for the Deep Space Tracking System.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Mission
The 3d Space Experimentation Squadron is AFSPC's premier organization for space-based demonstrations, pathfinders and experiments. The unit identifies concepts of employment, training, education and technical skill sets required to field selected future AFSPC missions. The 3d SES will develop a core cadre of space professionals to serve as subject matter experts for all future AFSPC space-based endeavors, demonstrate operational utility of selected demonstrations and apply lessons learned from demonstrations and pathfinders for use in future initiatives.History
The 3d SES began its existence as the 3d Surveillance Squadron on August 10, 1990, at Misawa AB, JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was later renamed Det. 3, 73d Space Group
73d Space Group
The 73d Space Group is an inactive United States Air Force space surveillance organization. Its last assignment was with Fourteenth Air Force, being stationed at Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 26 April 1995....
in January 1991. The home for the 3d SS (project name RINGO) was completed on March 16, 1991. Two antennas, an operations building, support building, pump housing and entry control point were constructed beginning on October 1, 1991, and was completed on May 31, 1992. Later that year, the unit was redesignated 3d Space Surveillance Squadron, while their Deep Space Tracking System obtained initial operating capability in April 1994.
The current designation of the unit, the 3d Space Experimentation Squadron began on March 10, 2006, with its new home at Mod 9, Schriever AFB, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The squadron is one of two Deep Space Tracking System squadrons located throughout the world. The DSTS tracks objects orbiting more than 22,300 miles above the Earth. More than 9,500 man-made objects orbit the Earth, ranging in size from a baseball to the Mir space station.
The 3d SPSS forwards this data to the 1st Command and Control Squadron and the Space Control Center, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, CO. The 1st CACS and the center use this information, along with other data, to catalog and identify all man-made Earth-orbiting objects. Several agencies use this information for everything from collision avoidance to intelligence. Because of its mission, the 3d SPSS works closely with Det. 3, 18th Intelligence Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO. The detachment provides specialized intelligence information necessary for the 3d SPSS to perform its deep space surveillance mission. Though Det. 3 is controlled by the 18th IS at Schriever AFB, it is an administrative subordinate of the 544th Intelligence Group at Peterson.
The 3d Space Surveillance Squadron was originally constituted as the 3d Surveillance Squadron on August 10, 1990. The squadron stood up as
Assigned to the 73d Space Group, the 3d was tasked with operating passive sensors for the Deep Space Tracking System.
Lineage
- Constituted as 3d Photographic Squadron on 15 May 1941
- Activated on 10 Jun 1941
- Re-designated: 3d Mapping Squadron on 13 Jan 1942
- Re-designated: 3d Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 Jun 1942
- Re-designated: 3d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Heavy, on 19 May 1944
- Re-designated: 3d Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range (Photographic-RCM), on 19 Sep 1945
- Re-designated: 3d Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 15 Jan 1946
- Inactivated on 15 Mar 1947
- Consolidated (13 Oct 1994) with the 3d Satellite Control Squadron, which was constituted on 9 Jan 1990.
- Activated on 2 Feb 1990
- Re-designated: 3d Space Operations Squadron on 30 Jan 1992.
- Re-designated: 3d Space Experimentation Squadron, 10 March 2006
Assignments
- 1st Photographic (later, 1 Mapping; 1 Photographic Charting) Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 Jun 1941 - 11th Photographic Group11th Photographic GroupThe 11th Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida...
, 1 Dec 1943 - 311th Photographic (later, 311th Reconnaissance) Wing311th Air DivisionThe 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
, 5 Mar 1944
- Attached to Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 1 Nov-13 Dec 1944 - Attached to XXI Bomber CommandXXI Bomber CommandThe XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in Guam for strategic bombing during World War II.- Lineage:* Constituted as XXI Bomber Command on 1 Mar 1944, and activated the same day.-Assignments:...
, 14 Dec 1944-15 Jul 1945 - Attached to Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 16 Jul 1945-2 Feb 1947- Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 3 Feb-15 Mar 1947 - 2d Space Wing2d Space WingThe 2d Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force. It activated on 8 July 1985 as the host wing at Falcon Air Force Station . The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987...
, 2 Feb 1990 - 50th Operations Group50th Operations GroupThe 50th Operations Group is a component of the 50th Space Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado....
, 30 Jan 1992 - 73d Space Group73d Space GroupThe 73d Space Group is an inactive United States Air Force space surveillance organization. Its last assignment was with Fourteenth Air Force, being stationed at Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 26 April 1995....
, October 1, 1992 - 21st Operations Group21st Operations GroupThe 21st Operations Group is an operational component of the 21st Space Wing, stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.The mission of the 21st OG is to provide overall management and guidance to 21 geographically separated units assigned to the wing, which provide attack warning and space...
on April 26, 1995-Present
- Twentieth Air Force
Stations
- Maxwell FieldMaxwell FieldMaxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St., Louisville, Kentucky, 40203 which was bounded by the streets of Brook, Breckinridge, Floyd, and Caldwell streets in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1984 a double murder known locally...
, AL, 10 Jun 1941 - MacDill Field, FL, 22 Dec 1941
- Smoky Hill Army Airfield, KS, 16 Apr-3 Aug 1944
- Isley Airfield, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 18 Sep 1944
- Harmon Airfield, Guam, Mariana Islands, 11 Jan 1945-15 Mar 1947
- Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 2 Feb 1990
- Misawa AB, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1 Oct 1992–20 Feb 2002) - Schriever AFB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
(10 Mar 2006 – present)
Aircraft and Space Systems
- Included F-2, 1942; B-25/F-10, 1942-1944
- B-24, 1943-1945
- B-17/F-9, 1944, 1946-1947
- B-29/F-13, 1944-1947
- Satellites, 1990-Present
- Deep Space Tracking System (1992–2002)
Commanders
- Lt Col Joseph Prue
- Lt Col Jeff Hokett
- Lt Col Jim Maestas
- Lt Col Richard Lucas (Misawa)
- Lt Col Robert Preston (Misawa - 1st Commander)
Decorations
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- 1 Jan 2000-31 Aug 2001
- 1 Jan 1999-31 Dec 1999
- 1 Jan 1998-31 Dec 1998
- 1 Oct 1997-30 Sep 1999
- 1 Oct 1995-30 Sep 1997