Air Force Space Command
Encyclopedia
Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base
, Colorado
. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations. Operationally, AFSPC is under the Combatant Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command
Approximately 47,000 people, including 25,400 active-duty service members and civilian employees, and 14,000 contractor employees, perform AFSPC missions at 88 locations worldwide. Its 25,400 employees are divided into approximately 7,100 military personnel
and 18,300 civilian employees, although their missions overlap.
On December 1, 2009, the intercontinental ballistic missile
mission was transferred to the new Air Force Global Strike Command. AFSPC gained the cyber operations
mission with the stand-up of 24th Air Force under AFSPC in August 2009.
AFSPC's primary mission areas:
, space operations focused on missile warning, and command and control for the National Command Authority
.
Missile warning and space operations were combined to form what was konown as Space Command in 1982. Following the creation of United States Space Command
, a Unified Combatant Command
, in 1985, Space Command was renamed Air Force Space Command. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm provided emphasis for the command's new focus on support to the warfighter. ICBM forces were merged into AFSPC in 1993 and then moved to Air Force Global Strike Command in 2009. Air Force Space Command became the lead Major Command for Air Force cyberspace operations in 2009, gaining Air Force cyber operations and combat communications units and the Air Force Network Integration Center and Air Force Spectrum Management Office (formerly known as the Air Force Frequency Management Agency).
, California. It manages the generation and employment of space forces to support U.S. Strategic Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command
(NORAD) operational plans and missions.
.
, California
, designs and acquires all Air Force and most Department of Defense
space systems. It oversees launches, completes on-orbit checkouts, then turns systems over to user agencies. It supports the Program Executive Office for Space on the NAVSTAR Global Positioning, Defense Satellite Communications
and MILSTAR systems. SMC also supports the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
and the Follow-on Early Warning System
. In addition, it supports development and acquisition of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles for the Air Force Program Executive Office for Strategic Systems.
, Colorado is also part of the command. The center plays a major role in fully integrating space systems into the operational Air Force. Its force enhancement mission looks at ways to use space systems to support warfighters in the areas of navigation, weather
, intelligence, communications and theater ballistic missile warning, and how these apply to theater operations.
AFSPC also operates several Air Force Stations for launch support and early warning missions.
and West Coast
launch bases provide services, facilities and range safety control for the conduct of DOD, NASA and commercial launches. Through the command and control of all DOD satellites, satellite operators provide force-multiplying effects—continuous global coverage, low vulnerability and autonomous operations. Satellites provide essential in-theater secure communications, weather and navigational data for ground, air and fleet operations and threat warning. Ground-based radar and Defense Support Program satellites monitor ballistic missile launches around the world to guard against a surprise missile attack on North America. Space surveillance radars provide vital information on the location of satellites and space debris for the nation and the world.
, Stargate Atlantis
, and Stargate Universe
the fictional Stargate Program is managed by the U.S. military, primarily the Air Force. The Air Force Space Command patch was in those series’ worn by personnel at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, and onboard various fictional spaceships.
Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States and it provides runways for the adjacent City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement...
, 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...
. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations. Operationally, AFSPC is under the Combatant Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command
Approximately 47,000 people, including 25,400 active-duty service members and civilian employees, and 14,000 contractor employees, perform AFSPC missions at 88 locations worldwide. Its 25,400 employees are divided into approximately 7,100 military personnel
Military personnel
Military personnel is a blanket term used to refer to members of any armed force. Usually, military personnel are divided into branches of service roughly defined by certain circumstances of the deployment of the personnel. Those who serve in a typical large land force are soldiers, making up an...
and 18,300 civilian employees, although their missions overlap.
On December 1, 2009, the intercontinental ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
mission was transferred to the new Air Force Global Strike Command. AFSPC gained the cyber operations
Cyber Operations
Cyber Operations is a classification of military operations that use of Computer Network Attack , Computer Network Defense ,Computer Network Exploitation against an enemy to achieve military objectives.- History :...
mission with the stand-up of 24th Air Force under AFSPC in August 2009.
Mission
According to AFSPC, its mission is "To provide an integrated constellation of space and cyberspace capabilities at the speed of need." AFSPC claims its activities make space reliable to United States warfighters (i.e. forces personnel) by assuring their access to space.AFSPC's primary mission areas:
- Space forces support involves launching satelliteSatelliteIn the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s and other high-value payloads into space using a variety of expendable launch vehiclesExpendable launch systemAn expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
and operating those satellites once in the medium of spaceSpaceSpace is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
. - Space control ensures friendly use of space through the conduct of counterspace operations encompassing surveillanceSurveillanceSurveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
, negationNegationIn logic and mathematics, negation, also called logical complement, is an operation on propositions, truth values, or semantic values more generally. Intuitively, the negation of a proposition is true when that proposition is false, and vice versa. In classical logic negation is normally identified...
, protection and space intelligence analysisIntelligence analysisIntelligence analysis is the process of taking known information about situations and entities of strategic, operational, or tactical importance, characterizing the known, and, with appropriate statements of probability, the future actions in those situations and by those entities...
. - Force enhancement provides weatherWeatherWeather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
, communicationCommunicationCommunication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s, intelligenceIntelligenceIntelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
, missile warning, and navigationNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
. Force enhancement is support to the warfighter.
History
During the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, space operations focused on missile warning, and command and control for the National Command Authority
National Command Authority
National Command Authority is a term used by the Department of Defense of the United States of America to refer to the ultimate lawful source of military orders. The NCA comprises the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense jointly, or their duly deputized successors, i.e...
.
Missile warning and space operations were combined to form what was konown as Space Command in 1982. Following the creation of United States Space Command
United States Space Command
The United States Space Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense, created in 1985 to help institutionalize the use of outer space by the United States Armed Forces. The Commander in Chief of U.S...
, a Unified Combatant Command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
, in 1985, Space Command was renamed Air Force Space Command. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm provided emphasis for the command's new focus on support to the warfighter. ICBM forces were merged into AFSPC in 1993 and then moved to Air Force Global Strike Command in 2009. Air Force Space Command became the lead Major Command for Air Force cyberspace operations in 2009, gaining Air Force cyber operations and combat communications units and the Air Force Network Integration Center and Air Force Spectrum Management Office (formerly known as the Air Force Frequency Management Agency).
List of Commanders
| No. | Image | Name | Start of Term | End of Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |
Gen. James V. Hartinger James V. Hartinger General James Vincent Hartinger was a United States Air Force four star general who served as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command from 1980 to 1981; Commander in Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command from 1981 to 1982; North American Aerospace Defense... |
September 1, 1982 | July 30, 1984 | |
| 2. |  |
Gen. Robert T. Herres Robert T. Herres Robert Tralles Herres was the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.-Early life and education:Herres was born in 1932, in Denver, where he attended East High School. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1954... |
July 30, 1984 | October 1, 1986 | |
| 3. | Maj. Gen. Maurice C. Padden | October 1, 1986 | October 29, 1987 | ||
| 4. |  |
Lt. Gen. Donald J. Kutyna Donald J. Kutyna General Donald Joseph Kutyna is a retired United States Air Force Officer. He was commander in chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Space Command from 1990 to 1992, and commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado from 1987 to 1990... |
October 29, 1987 | March 29, 1990 | |
| 5. |  |
Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Moorman Jr. | March 29, 1990 | March 23, 1992 | |
| 6. | |
Gen. Donald J. Kutyna Donald J. Kutyna General Donald Joseph Kutyna is a retired United States Air Force Officer. He was commander in chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Space Command from 1990 to 1992, and commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado from 1987 to 1990... |
March 23, 1992 | June 30, 1992 | |
| 7. | Gen. Charles A. Horner Chuck Horner Charles Albert Horner is a retired USAF general. He was born in Davenport, Iowa and attended the University of Iowa, as part of the Air Force ROTC program. On June 13, 1958, Horner was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve. During the Vietnam War, he flew in combat as a Wild Weasel pilot and... |
June 30, 1992 | September 13, 1994 | ||
| 8. |  |
Gen. Joseph W. Ashy Joseph W. Ashy General Joseph William Ashy, USAF was commander in chief of North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Space Command, and commander of Air Force Space Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado... |
September 13, 1994 | August 26, 1996 | |
| 9. |  |
Gen. Howell M. Estes III Howell M. Estes III General Howell M. Estes III served as commander in chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command , United States Space Command , and commander, Air Force Space Command , headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado... |
August 26, 1996 | August 14, 1998 | |
| 10. |  |
Gen. Richard B. Myers | August 14, 1998 | February 22, 2000 | |
| 11. | Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart | February 22, 2000 | April 19, 2002 | ||
| 12. |  |
Gen. Lance W. Lord Lance W. Lord General Lance W. Lord is a retired four star general in the U.S. Air Force, and was the Commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.... |
April 19, 2002 | April 1, 2006 | |
| Acting | Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz Frank Klotz Frank G. Klotz, is a former United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana... |
April 1, 2006 | June 26, 2006 | ||
| 13. |  |
Gen. Kevin P. Chilton Kevin P. Chilton Kevin Patrick "Chilli" Chilton , is an engineer and a former United States Air Force four-star general. His last assignment was as Commander, U.S. Strategic Command from October 3, 2007 to January 28, 2011. Prior to his appointment to general officer ranks, Chilton spent 11 years of his military... |
June 26, 2006 | October 3, 2007 | |
| Acting | Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel | October 3, 2007 | October 12, 2007 | ||
| 14. | Gen. C. Robert Kehler C. Robert Kehler General Claude Robert "Bob" Kehler, USAF is the current Commander, U.S. Strategic Command. He previously served as Commander, Air Force Space Command from October 12, 2007 to January 5, 2011. As commander of Air Force Space Command, he was responsible for the development, acquisition and operation... |
October 12, 2007 | January 5, 2011 | ||
| 15. | Gen. William L. Shelton William L. Shelton William Lee Shelton is a United States Air Force four-star general who serves as the current Commander, Air Force Space Command. He previously was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and Director, Air Staff. He previously served as Chief of Warfighting Integration and... |
January 5, 2011 | Incumbent |
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force provides space warfighting forces to U.S. Strategic Command in its capacity as Air Forces Strategic-Space, and is located at Vandenberg AFBVandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, California. It manages the generation and employment of space forces to support U.S. Strategic Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
(NORAD) operational plans and missions.
Twenty-Fourth Air Force
The Twenty-fourth Air Force, with the cyber operations mission, was activated under AFSPC in August 2009, at Lackland Air Force BaseLackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
.
Direct Reporting Units
AFSPC is the major command providing space forces and trained cyber warfare forces for U.S. Strategic Command. AFSPC also supports NORAD with ballistic missile warning information, operates the Space Warfare Center to develop space applications for direct warfighter support, and is responsible for the U.S. Department of Defense's ICBM follow-on operational test and evaluation program.Space and Missile Systems Center
The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) at Los Angeles AFBLos Angeles Air Force Base
Los Angeles Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located in El Segundo, California. Los Angeles Air Force Base houses and supports the headquarters of the Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center . The center manages research, development and acquisition of military...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, designs and acquires all Air Force and most Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
space systems. It oversees launches, completes on-orbit checkouts, then turns systems over to user agencies. It supports the Program Executive Office for Space on the NAVSTAR Global Positioning, Defense Satellite Communications
Defense Satellite Communications System
The Defense Satellite Communications System provides the United States with military communications to support globally distributed military users. DSCS will be replaced by the Wideband Global SATCOM system. A total of 14 DSCS III satellites were launched between the early 1980s and 2003. Two...
and MILSTAR systems. SMC also supports the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program monitors meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial physics for the United States Department of Defense. The program is now run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The mission of the satellites was revealed in March 1973...
and the Follow-on Early Warning System
Dew
[Image:Dew on a flower.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Some dew on an iris in Sequoia National Park]]Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening...
. In addition, it supports development and acquisition of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles for the Air Force Program Executive Office for Strategic Systems.
Space Innovation and Development Center
The Space Innovation and Development Center (SIDC) at Schriever AFBSchriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States.-Overview:...
, Colorado is also part of the command. The center plays a major role in fully integrating space systems into the operational Air Force. Its force enhancement mission looks at ways to use space systems to support warfighters in the areas of navigation, weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
, intelligence, communications and theater ballistic missile warning, and how these apply to theater operations.
Air Force Network Integration Center
The Air Force Network Integration Center (AFNIC), located at Scott AFB, IL, is a direct reporting unit to Air Force Space Command. As the leader in shaping, provisioning, sustaining, and integrating the USAF enterprise network, AFNIC enables assured cyberspace capabilities for the Air Force.Air Force Spectrum Management Office
The AFSMO mission is to plan, provide and preserve access to the radio frequency spectrum for the Air Force and selected Department of Defense activities in support of national policy objectives, systems development and global operations. This includes obtaining spectrum access critical for all Air Force core functions.Locations
The AFSPC headquarters is a major unit located at Peterson AFB, Colorado. There are 6 AFSPC host bases:- Buckley AFBBuckley Air Force BaseBuckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established by the U.S. Army in 1943. The base was named in honor of the World War I Army pilot 1LT John Harold Buckley.-Overview:...
, Colorado- 460th Space Wing460th Space WingThe 460th Space Wing is located at Buckley Air Force Base, east of Aurora, Colorado. Since the 460th was redesignated on 1 October 2004, the wing has delivered global infrared surveillance, provided worldwide missile warning and tracking for homeland defense purposes, and provided expeditionary...
- 460th Space Wing
- Los Angeles AFBLos Angeles Air Force BaseLos Angeles Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located in El Segundo, California. Los Angeles Air Force Base houses and supports the headquarters of the Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center . The center manages research, development and acquisition of military...
, California- Space and Missile Systems CenterSpace and Missile Systems CenterThe Space and Missile Systems Center is a part of Air Force Space Command of the United States Air Force. SMC is the Air Force’s product center for the development and acquisition of space and missile systems...
- 61st Air Base Wing61st Air Base WingThe 61st Air Base Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California....
- Military Satellite Communications Systems WingMilitary Satellite Communications Systems WingThe United States Air Force's Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing is an organization headquartered at Los Angeles AFB, California...
- Global Positioning Systems WingGlobal Positioning Systems WingThe United States Air Force's Global Positioning Systems Wing is a unit of the Space and Missile Systems Center located at Los Angeles AFB, California.- Mission :...
- Space-Based Infrared Systems WingSpace-Based Infrared Systems WingThe United States Air Force's Space-Based Infrared Systems Wing is a wing that is located at Los Angeles Air Force Base.-Previous and current designations:* Infrared Space Systems Directorate * Space-Based Infrared Systems Wing...
- Launch and Range Systems WingLaunch and Range Systems WingThe United States Air Force's Launch and Range Systems Wing is a unit located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California.-Mission:...
- Space Superiority Systems WingSpace Superiority Systems WingThe Space Superiority Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base includes the "Space Situational Awareness Group" and the "Counterspace Group".-Mission:...
- Space Development and Test WingSpace Development and Test WingThe Space Development and Test Wing is a unit of the Space Command of the United States Air Force. The wing is located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.-Mission:...
(Kirtland AFBKirtland Air Force BaseKirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
) - 526th ICBM Systems Group526th ICBM Systems GroupThe United States Air Force's 526th ICBM Systems Group is a logistics unit located at Hill AFB, Utah.-Mission:The ICBM System Program Office develops, acquires, and supports silo-based ICBMs and provides program direction and logistics support as the single face to the customer...
(Hill AFBHill Air Force BaseHill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force Base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and near the towns of Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, Sunset, and Layton. It is about north of Salt Lake City. The base was named in honor of Major Ployer Peter Hill of the U.S. Army Air...
, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
)
- Space and Missile Systems Center
- Patrick AFBPatrick Air Force BasePatrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
- 45th Space Wing45th Space WingThe 45th Space Wing is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Fourteenth Air Force, stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It is also the host unit at Patrick AFB.-Overview:...
- 45th Space Wing
- Peterson AFBPeterson Air Force BasePeterson Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States and it provides runways for the adjacent City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement...
, 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...
- 21st Space Wing21st Space WingThe 21st Space Wing is a unit of the Air Force Space Command based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. The unit is tasked with the operation of early missile warning and space object detection equipment around the world in support of NORAD and USSTRATCOM through a network of command and control...
- 821st Air Base Group (Thule Air BaseThule Air BaseThule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
, GreenlandGreenlandGreenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
)
- 21st Space Wing
- Schriever AFBSchriever Air Force BaseSchriever Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States.-Overview:...
, 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...
- 50th Space Wing50th Space WingThe 50th Space Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command . It was activated on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2d Space Wing, which was deactivated on the same date.-Overview:...
- Space Innovation and Development Center
- 50th Space Wing
- Vandenberg AFBVandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- 14th Air Force
- 30th Space Wing30th Space WingThe 30th Space Wing is an air force wing forming a subordinate unit of the Fourteenth Air Force of the Air Force Space Command of the United States Air Force...
- 148th Space Operations Squadron148th Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 148th Space Operations Squadron is a satellite control unit located at Vandenberg AFB, California. The 148th SOPS is tasked with back-up command and control of the MILSTAR satellite constellation.-Mission:...
AFSPC also operates several Air Force Stations for launch support and early warning missions.
- Cape Cod Air Force StationCape Cod Air Force StationCape Cod Air Force Station is a US Air Force station located in the northwest corner of the Massachusetts Military Reservation, USA, on Flatrock Hill...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
- 6th Space Warning Squadron6th Space Warning SquadronThe 6th Space Warning Squadron is located at Cape Cod Air Force Station, in Sandwich, Massachusetts. It keeps watch for sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles launched toward North America...
- 6th Space Warning Squadron
- Cavalier AFSCavalier Air Force StationCavalier Air Force Station is a United States Air Force installation in Pembina County, North Dakota, home to the 10th Space Warning Squadron of the 21st Space Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.-Mission:...
, North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
- 10th Space Warning Squadron10th Space Warning SquadronThe United States Air Force's 10th Space Warning Squadron , is a missile warning unit located at Cavalier AFS, North Dakota.-Mission:...
- 10th Space Warning Squadron
- Cheyenne Mountain AFSCheyenne MountainCheyenne Mountain is a mountain located just outside the southwest side of Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S., and is home to the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station and its Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, formerly known as the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center .Throughout the Cold War and...
, 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... - Clear Air Force StationClear Air Force StationClear Air Force Station is a United States Air Force Station located 5 miles south of Anderson, Alaska, USA, northeast of Mount McKinley, and southwest of Fairbanks. Its primary mission is to detect incoming ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.-Overview:Clear AFS is operated by the...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
- 13th Space Warning Squadron13th Space Warning SquadronThe 13th Space Warning Squadron is a missile warning unit assigned to the United States Air Force and located at Clear Air Force Station 5 miles south of Anderson, Alaska,-Mission:...
- 13th Space Warning Squadron
- New Boston AFSNew Boston Air Force StationNew Boston Air Force Station is a United States Air Force facility located in Hillsborough County in south central New Hampshire.It occupies more than 2,800 acres in three towns: New Boston, Amherst, and Mont Vernon. It was established in 1942 as a practice area for bombers and fighter planes from...
, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
- 23d Space Operations Squadron
- Onizuka AFSOnizuka Air Force StationOnizuka Air Force Station was a United States Air Force installation in Santa Clara County, California, just outside the city limits of Sunnyvale, at the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 237...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- 21st Space Operations Squadron21st Space Operations SquadronThe 21st Space Operations Squadron is a satellite control unit of the 50th Network Operations Group of the United States Air Force located at Onizuka Air Force Station, California...
- Slated for closure in July 2010
- 21st Space Operations Squadron
Space capabilities
Spacelift operations at the EastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
launch bases provide services, facilities and range safety control for the conduct of DOD, NASA and commercial launches. Through the command and control of all DOD satellites, satellite operators provide force-multiplying effects—continuous global coverage, low vulnerability and autonomous operations. Satellites provide essential in-theater secure communications, weather and navigational data for ground, air and fleet operations and threat warning. Ground-based radar and Defense Support Program satellites monitor ballistic missile launches around the world to guard against a surprise missile attack on North America. Space surveillance radars provide vital information on the location of satellites and space debris for the nation and the world.
Satellites
- Advanced Extremely High FrequencyAdvanced Extremely High FrequencyAdvanced Extremely High Frequency is a series of communications satellites operated by the United States Air Force Air Force Space Command. The spacecraft will be used to relay secure communications for the Armed Forces of the United States, the British Armed Forces, the Canadian Forces and the...
- Defense Satellite Communications SystemDefense Satellite Communications SystemThe Defense Satellite Communications System provides the United States with military communications to support globally distributed military users. DSCS will be replaced by the Wideband Global SATCOM system. A total of 14 DSCS III satellites were launched between the early 1980s and 2003. Two...
- Defense Meteorological Satellite ProgramDefense Meteorological Satellite ProgramThe Defense Meteorological Satellite Program monitors meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial physics for the United States Department of Defense. The program is now run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The mission of the satellites was revealed in March 1973...
- Defense Support ProgramDefense Support ProgramThe Defense Support Program is a program of the U.S. Air Force that operates the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the Satellite Early Warning System currently used by the United States....
- Fleet Satellite Communications SystemFleet Satellite Communications SystemFLTSATCOM was a satellite communication system of the U.S. Navy which was used for UHF radio communications between ships, submarines, airplanes and ground stations of the U.S. Navy....
UHFUltra high frequencyUltra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
follow-on - Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning SystemThe Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
- MILSTAR
- NATO III and IV communications
Space Situational Awareness
- Air Force Satellite Control NetworkAir Force Satellite Control NetworkThe Air Force Satellite Control Network provides support for the operation, control, and maintenance of a variety of United States Department of Defense and some non-DoD satellites. This involves continual execution of the tasks involved in Tracking, Telemetry, and Command...
- Maui Optical Tracking Identification FacilityAir Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing observatoryThe Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing observatory is an Air Force Research Laboratory operating location on Maui with a twofold mission. First, it conducts the research and development mission on the Maui Space Surveillance System at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex...
, - Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System
- Passive Space Surveillance SystemAir Force Space Surveillance SystemThe Air Force Space Surveillance System, colloquially known as the Space Fence, is a multistatic radar system that detects orbital objects passing over America...
- Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting SystemRapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting SystemThe Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting System, also known as RAIDRS is a ground-based space control system that provides near real-time event detection.-Mission:...
Ballistic Missile Warning Radars
- AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWSPAVE PAWSPAVE PAWS is a United States Air Force Space Command radar system operated by three 21st Space Wing squadrons for missile warning and space surveillance. Operational PAVE PAWS radars are located at:...
- AN/FPS-108 Cobra DaneCobra DaneThe AN/FPS-108 COBRA DANE radar is an active electronically scanned array installation operated by the United States Air Force at Eareckson Air Station on the island of Shemya, Alaska. This radar system was built in 1976 and brought on-line in 1977 for the primary mission of intelligence gathering...
- AN/FPQ-16 Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System (PARCS)
- Sea-based X-band RadarSea-based X-band RadarSea-Based X-Band Radar is a floating, self-propelled, mobile radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. It is part of the U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System....
Sea-Based X-Band Radar - Ballistic Missile Early Warning SystemBallistic Missile Early Warning SystemThe United States Air Force Ballistic Missile Early Warning System was the first operational ballistic missile detection radar. The original system was built in 1959 and could provide long-range warning of a ballistic missile attack over the polar region of the Northern Hemisphere. They also...
(BMEWS)
In popular culture
In the science-fiction TV series’ Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
, Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
, and Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
the fictional Stargate Program is managed by the U.S. military, primarily the Air Force. The Air Force Space Command patch was in those series’ worn by personnel at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, and onboard various fictional spaceships.