97-591: Space Operations Command ( SpOC ) is the United States Space Force 's space operations , cyber operations , and intelligence field command . Headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base , Colorado , it consists of its mission deltas, and garrison commands. It was established on 1 September 1982 as Space Command ( SPACECOM ), the first dedicated space command in the United States Armed Forces . On 15 November 1985, it
194-700: A Space Corps or Space Force in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The idea of establishing a Space Force was resurrected in the late 2010s in response to Russian and Chinese military space developments, resulting in the Space Force's establishment on 20 December 2019 during the Trump Administration . The Space Force is organized as part of the Department of the Air Force alongside the U.S. Air Force , its coequal sister service. The Department of
291-531: A Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force in the mid-term, which would evolve into a Department of the Space Force in the long-term. The Rumsfeld Commission expected the transition from Air Force Space Command to a fully independent Space Force to occur in between 2006 and 2011. Air Force leadership reacted extremely poorly to the Rumsfeld Commission's recommendations. The day after
388-399: A commission to examine the organization and management of national security space. The Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, better known as the 2001 Space Commission or the Rumsfeld Commission, released its report in 2001. The Rumsfeld Commission noted the strong risk of a "Space Pearl Harbor," harking back to Imperial Japan's surprise attack on
485-464: A deputy commanding general each for operations, support, and transformation. It also organized oversight of Space Deltas 2 to 9 under the deputy commanding general (operations) by creating five mission area teams (MAT): intelligence, battle management C3, componency, combat power, and information mobility. On 22 April 2021, the Space and Missile Systems Center was realigned from Space Operations Command to
582-457: A full color U.S. flag , sparking jokes about fighting on the forest moon of Endor from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi , while its distinctive service dress drew comparisons to Colonial Fleet uniforms from Battlestar Galactica or Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek . While the Space Force noted that its camouflage combat uniform was appropriate since space operators deploy to combat zones on
679-564: A fully independent Space Force by 2011. While the United States' focus shifted from space to counterterrorism, the Russian Armed Forces and Chinese People's Liberation Army realized the military benefits that could be gleaned from space, as well as the incredible reliance the United States put on its space forces. Throughout the 2000s, Russian and Chinese space and counterspace capabilities began to increase. In 2001,
776-543: A global space. Through space, the U.S. military and its allies can see, communicate, and navigate. Global mission operations also protect U.S. forces on Earth through early warning of incoming missiles and other types of attack. The Space Force describes global mission operations as allowing the rest of the U.S. military to defend the air, land, and sea. Missions that support global mission operations include missile warning , satellite communications , and positioning, navigation, and timing . Assured space access ensures that
873-503: A gradual takeover. While Air Force Space Command had sought the mission since its activation, Air Force Systems Command had fought the change at every turn. Delta II and Atlas E launches transferred first, followed by the Atlas II , Titan II , and Titan IV . On 1 October 1990, Air Force Systems Command transferred Patrick Air Force Base , Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , and Vandenberg Air Force Base to Air Force Space Command. On
970-470: A military responsibility until the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in 1958. The military shifted from conducting their own space exploration programs to supporting NASA's, providing the agency with its astronauts and space launch vehicles , while also conducting astronaut recovery and supporting space launches from the Air Force's Eastern Range . The Air Force
1067-519: A new military service...would be a dramatic step. Perhaps a "Space Corps" would be a step toward a Space Force. Maybe the Air Force will preempt these dramatic changes by truly becoming the "Space and Air Force." The idea of a separate service for space originated in the 1960s. Military space activities were briefly consolidated under the Advanced Research Projects Agency in 1958, loosely centralizing space activities under
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#17327809300781164-414: A separate military department, to be known as the Department of the Space Force. The Space Force is currently organized as a service under the Department of the Air Force , more closely mirroring the concept of a Space Corps rather than a fully independent Space Force. Senator Bob Smith , the 2001 Rumsfeld Commission, and 2008 Allard Commission each envisioned that a Space Corps would first be created under
1261-519: A single organization. The Air Force, Army, and Navy feared that it would evolve into a "fourth service" for space, before authorities were returned to the service. The first direct call for a U.S. Space Force occurred in 1982, prior to Air Force Space Command 's establishment or the Strategic Defense Initiative 's public announcement. As part of a report recommending the acceleration U.S. space-based laser weapon development,
1358-659: A study calling for its transfer to the Space Force. Cheyenne Mountain Support Group The Aerospace Defense Center (ADC) was a unit of the United States Air Force . It was under the command of the general that also commanded both North American Aerospace Defense Command and Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM). The center included the Office of Astrodynamics (ADC/DO6) and the Office of History. The center
1455-455: Is an historic event and a strategic imperative for our Nation. Space has become so important to our way of life, our economy and our national security that we must be prepared as a Nation to protect it from hostile actions. As the U.S. Space Force was established on 20 December 2019, General Jay Raymond , commander of U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command , became its first member and chief of space operations . Air Force Space Command
1552-631: The United States Space Force Act , the Space Force is organized, trained, and equipped to: The Department of Defense further defines the specified functions of the Space Force to: The Space Force further breaks down its mission into three core functions, which align directly to its mission statement to "secure our Nation's interests in, from, and to space:" Space superiority defends against space and counterspace threats by protecting spacecraft in space or protecting against attacks enabled by adversary spacecraft, requiring that
1649-563: The 1st Space Wing on 1 January 1983. Major transfers from Strategic Air Command included Peterson Air Force Base , Thule Air Base , Sondrestrom Air Base , Clear Air Force Station , and responsibility for the creation of Falcon Air Force Station . By 1984, Strategic Air Command ceased to be responsible for space operations, transferring the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and Defense Support Program , as well as operational responsibility for
1746-457: The 50th Network Operations Group became Space Delta 6 for cyberspace operations , the 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group became Space Delta 6 for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance , the 50th Operations Group became Space Delta 8 for navigation warfare and satellite communications , and the 750th Operations Group became Space Delta 9 for orbital warfare . The 21st Space Wing and 50th Space Wing
1843-464: The 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group . The 21st Operations Group was replaced by Space Delta 2 for space domain awareness , the 721st Operations Group was replaced by Space Delta 3 for space electromagnetic warfare , the 460th Operations Group combined with elements of the 21st Operations Group to form Space Delta 4 for missile warning , the 614th Air Operations Center became Space Delta 5 for command and control ,
1940-726: The Air Force Network Integration Center , and Air Force Spectrum Management Office . In 2013, the Space Innovation and Development Center (previously the Space Warfare Center) was inactivated and merged with the Air Force Warfare Center . In 2018, the cyber mission and Twenty-Fourth Air Force were transferred to Air Combat Command leaving Air Force Space Command with sole responsibility for space forces. When
2037-585: The Air Force Research Laboratory . The Space Force also began incorporating space personnel transfers from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps. In 2022, it the Naval Satellite Operations Center and Army's Satellite Operations Brigade transferred to the Space Force, putting satellite communications under a single service for the first time in history. In 2023, it assumed responsibility for
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#17327809300782134-498: The Army Air Forces , tasked General Bernard Schriever to integrate with the scientific community to identify and develop technologies that could be beneficial for the new U.S. Air Force in the next global conflict. Identifying the importance of space, the U.S. Army , U.S. Navy , and U.S. Air Force each started their own separate space and rocket programs. The U.S. Air Force created the first military space organization in
2231-636: The Defense Meteorological Support Program . Space forces proved so decisive that the Gulf War was coined the "first space war" by General Merrill McPeak and its status was elevated within the Air Force. In 1991, Air Force Space Command underwent a major reorganization, inactivating the 9th Space Division and Space Communications Division and replacing it with the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB and 45th Space Wing at Patrick AFB for space launches. In 1992, it replaced
2328-504: The Department of the Navy . The Space Force's three field commands (FLDCOM) are purpose-built for specific activities, aligning to the various institutional responsibilities to organize, train, and equip Guardians. Component field commands (C-FLDCOM) coordinate and integrate space forces into planning and current operations within unified combatant commands . Direct reporting units (DRU) are hubs of innovation and intelligence expertise within
2425-523: The Global War on Terrorism . In 2009, the Air Force decided to consolidate its nuclear forces, split between Air Force Space Command's Twentieth Air Force missiles and Air Combat Command 's Eighth Air Force bombers, under Air Force Global Strike Command . Twentieth Air Force was transferred on 1 December 2009, however Air Force Space Command had been assigned the cyberspace mission in the same year, assuming responsibility for Twenty-Fourth Air Force ,
2522-502: The Government Accountability Office recommended the U.S. Air Force be reorganized as the U.S. Aerospace Force or that an independent U.S. Space Force be created. Ultimately, a Congressional proposal to rename the U.S. Air Force as the U.S. Aerospace Force and speculation that President Ronald Reagan may announce the creation of a U.S. Space Force accelerated Air Force plans to create a space command within
2619-600: The Kosmos 1408 and putting the International Space Station at risk. The Space Force is organized into a headquarters staff that provides leadership and guidance for the force; field commands that are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Guardians; deltas that support field commands and are specialized by mission area; and squadrons which specialize in acquisitions, cyberspace operations, engineering, intelligence, and space operations. At
2716-469: The Military Strategic and Tactical Relay and Global Positioning System , both of which were in development. In 1985, Space Command activated the 2d Space Wing and renamed to Air Force Space Command on 15 November, to distinguish itself from Naval Space Command and the new United States Space Command . In 1986, Air Force Space Command established the 3rd Space Support Wing and inactivated
2813-624: The Persian Gulf War , which has been referred to as the "first space war." The Strategic Defense Initiative and creation of Air Force Space Command in the 1980s marked a renaissance for military space operations. Proposals for a U.S. Space Force were first seriously considered during the Reagan Administration as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Congress began exploring establishing
2910-669: The Russian Space Forces were reestablished as an independent arm and in 2007, China conducted a destructive anti-satellite missile test causing the single largest space debris generating event in history. In the aftermath of the Chinese ASAT test, Congress tasked the Allard Commission to reevaluate the Defense Department's space organization and management. The Allard Commission noted that
3007-608: The Secretary of Defense to conduct a periodic review to determine when to recommend the President seek legislation to establish the Department of the Space Force. Following the Space Force's establishment there have been a number of calls to rename the Department of the Air Force to the Department of the Air and Space Forces to reflect its composition of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Congress previously explored renaming
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3104-468: The Space Badge and the final emblem drew on it for most of its elements. The centrally dominant globe represents the earth as viewed from space, the earth being both the origin and control point for all space satellites. The lines of latitude and longitude emphasize the global nature of Air Force space operations. The emblem is provided its distinctive appearance by two symmetric ellipses representing
3201-541: The Space Shuttle in partnership with NASA prompted major internal competition between the Air Force's major commands for internal control and to transform itself into an operational major command. Air Force Systems Command's Space and Missile Systems Organization had responsibility for military development of the shuttle, but it also sought operational responsibility as it was responsible for space launches. Aerospace Defense Command argued that its responsibility for
3298-596: The Space and Missile Systems Center from Air Force Materiel Command to Air Force Space Command and establishing the National Security Space Institute . Ultimately, the Rumsfeld Commission's recommendations remained unfulfilled because of the higher priority placed on counterterrorism after the September 11 attacks , canceling plans for a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force or
3395-491: The United States Air Force Academy before being announced on 17 February 1983. The motto would later inspire the title of "Guardian" for U.S. Space Force members. U.S. Armed Forces forces commands United States Space Force As U.S. Space Force The United States Space Force ( USSF ) is the United States Armed Forces ' space service and one of the eight uniformed services of
3492-482: The United States Space Force was established as an independent service on 20 December 2019, Air Force Space Command was redesignated as United States Space Force and served as its interim headquarters, but remained part of the U.S. Air Force. Fourteenth Air Force was redesignated as Space Operations Command, however its wings, along with the Space and Missile Systems Center's 61st Air Base Group , were realigned to report directly to United States Space Force. In June 2020,
3589-563: The Vietnam War , with Air Force weather and communications spacecraft supporting ground, sea, and air operations. During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, satellite communications were used to conduct command and control for the first time, while Operation El Dorado Canyon and Operation Just Cause marked the first time that major U.S. forces incorporated information from space-based intelligence systems. The Persian Gulf War marked
3686-432: The space surveillance system gave it the requisite experience required for shuttle operations. Traditional air defense had also lost its importance, and Aerospace Defense Command saw space operations as a means to preserve its existence. Strategic Air Command and Military Airlift Command , which served as the Air Force's lead on transportation, also argued they should have responsibility. In 1980, Aerospace Defense Command
3783-766: The unified combatant commands , assuming space component responsibility from the U.S. Air Force. One of the primary reasons the Space Force was created was to consolidate space forces from across the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy. In 2020, the Space Training and Readiness Delta (Provisional) was established to form the foundation for Space Training and Readiness Command and incorporate Air Force space units spread across Air Combat Command and Air Education and Training Command , while Space Systems Command incorporated space acquisitions activities across Air Force Materiel Command , although, notably it did not incorporate space research and development conducted by
3880-565: The 1st Space Wing with the 21st Space Wing , the 2d Space Wing with the 50th Space Wing , and inactivated the 3d Space Support Group. In 1993, Air Force Space Command was assigned responsibility for intercontinental ballistic missiles. It centralized its space forces under the Fourteenth Air Force and its missile forces under the 20th Air Force , while also activating the Space Warfare Center . In 2001, following
3977-742: The Aerospace Defense Center and Cheyenne Mountain Support Group. In 1989, the 73d Space Surveillance Group was activated under Air Force Space Command, centralizing its space surveillance capabilities. Unlike Strategic Air Command, Air Force Systems Command was reluctant to transfer over its space assets. The Air Force Satellite Control Network was not reassigned to Air Force Space Command until 1987. The Combined Space Operations Center would not be fully transferred over until 1993 Space launch would remain under Air Force Systems Command until 1990, when Air Force Space Command began
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4074-508: The Air Force did successfully field the Program 437 anti-satellite weapon system, which used nuclear Thor missiles to intercept enemy spacecraft. Although most military space forces were organized under the Air Force, they were still fragmented within several different major commands. Recognizing rapid growth of space forces and the need to centralize them under one command, the Air Force established Air Force Space Command in 1982. This
4171-543: The Air Force established Space Command as a major command, creating the first operational space command within the United States Armed Forces . When Space Command was established, it was headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base , Colorado and consisted of the Aerospace Defense Center and Cheyenne Mountain Support Group . In 1983, Strategic Air Command began to transfer its space and missile warning, systems, bases, and units to Space Command, establishing
4268-591: The Air Force is headed by the civilian secretary of the Air Force , while the U.S. Space Force is led by the Chief of Space Operations . The U.S. Space Force's status as part of the Department of the Air Force is intended to be an interim measure towards a fully independent Department of the Space Force, led by a civilian secretary of the Space Force. Secure our Nation's interests in, from, and to space. The Space Force's statutory responsibilities are outlined in 10 U.S.C. § 9081 and originally introduced in
4365-455: The Air Force or a separate Department of the Space Force to unify national security space. It took until 2017 for members of Congress to act on the recommendations of the Rumsfeld and Allard commissions to create a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force. Representatives Mike Rogers and Jim Cooper unveiled a bipartisan proposal to establish a Space Corps within the Department of
4462-570: The Air Force's major commands. It also consolidated Air Force wings and groups into mission deltas, a formation roughly equivalent to an Army Brigade Combat Team or Air Force expeditionary wing, and space base deltas (briefly known as garrisons), equivalent to an Army garrison or Air Force air base wing. It also began to rename former Air Force bases and station to Space Force bases and station, starting with Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station . It also established component field commands to serve as Space Force components at
4559-465: The Air Force, however it experienced significant opposition from the Air Force and Defense Department, failing in the Senate. However, the proposal was resurrected in 2018 when President Donald Trump publicly endorsed the creation of a Space Force and directed the Defense Department to reverse its opposition and develop plans for its establishment. The Trump Administration plan for the U.S. Space Force
4656-542: The Army's Joint Tactical Ground Station , putting all space-based missile warning under the Space Force. The Space Force's first significant combat action occurred less than a month after its establishment, providing missile warning when Iran launched missile strikes against U.S. troops at Al Asad Airbase on 7 January 2020. In 2021, the Russian Federation conducted an anti-satellite weapons test, destroying
4753-526: The Commission was publicly released Air Force Chief of Staff General Michael E. Ryan declared "an independent Space Force or Corps was not warranted for at least another 50 years." General Ryan doubled down over the following year, stating that a Space Force should only be considered once space operations moved beyond Earth orbit. Despite the Air Force's hostility to the idea of a Space Corps or Space Force, they did meet some recommendations by transferring
4850-399: The Department of the Air Force as an interim measure as it grew into a fully independent Space Force. In 2019, Space Policy Directive-4 directed the Space Force be initially established under the Department of the Air Force as the first step towards an independent Department of the Space Force, which would take over the entire space mission from the Department of the Air Force. It also directed
4947-491: The Department of the Air Force to the Department of the Aerospace Force in 1981 and congressional efforts were made in the 2000s to rename the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, however both of these proposals failed under opposition from the Defense Department. Space Force advocates have also called for the creation of an undersecretary of the Air Force for space . This provision
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#17327809300785044-688: The Earth alongside the rest of the joint force and it saved money, it did not have a similar response for its service dress uniform, which were described as a "futuristic-looking" design by General Raymond. The Space Force's seal and delta insignia were also incorrectly derided as a rip-off of Star Trek' s Starfleet logo, despite being first adopted as a space symbol by the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division in 1962, four years before Star Trek first aired on television in 1966. Star Trek actor William Shatner settled
5141-577: The Persian Gulf War being coined "the first Space War." While U.S. space forces supported all U.S. military operations in the 1990s, Operation Allied Force marked the first use of Global Positioning System -aided munitions in a conflict, ushering in a new era of precision bombing. Following the September 11 attacks , U.S. space forces mobilized to respond as part of the Global War on Terrorism Operation Enduring Freedom , Operation Iraqi Freedom , and Operation Inherent Resolve . Creating
5238-524: The Space Force and the Center for Strategic and International Studies has also proposed moving missile defense into the Space Force. The Army also continues to maintain a cadre of Functional Area 40 space operations officers, although over 85% indicated they would transfer to the Space Force if able. The Army is also maintaining the 1st Space Brigade , however the RAND Corporation has conducted
5335-455: The Space Force announced its plan to establish Space Operations Command as the first of three field command, with Space Operations Command (formerly Fourteenth Air Force) at Vandenberg AFB to be renamed SpOC West. In July 2020, United States Space Force's wings and operations groups were renamed deltas and it assumed responsibility for space operations units previously part of Air Combat Command and Air Education and Training Command , including
5432-455: The Space Force can deploy and sustain equipment in outer space. This includes space launches as well as controlling and steering spacecraft out of the way of oncoming space debris to avoid collisions. The Space Force describes assured access to space as being able to make sure it can continue launching and conducting space operations 24/7. Missions supporting space access include launch , range control, cyber , and space domain awareness . In
5529-506: The Space Force establish control of the domain. The Space Force describes that at a time and place of the United States' choosing it must be able to assure continued use of spacecraft and deny adversaries use of their spacecraft or space-enabled capabilities. Mission that support space superiority include orbital warfare , electromagnetic warfare , and space battle management . Global mission operations integrates joint functions across all domains (land, air, maritime, space, cyberspace) on
5626-551: The Space Force, providing new ideas or deep knowledge about highly specialized issues. While the Space Force's headquarters is in Washington, D.C., the rest of the service is spread across the United States and abroad, across 18 states and territories and 46 bases and installations as of 2024. As the United States Space Force matures, and as national security requires, it will become necessary to create
5723-620: The Space Operations Command emblem is derived from the legacy Air Force Space Command emblem, which also is found in the Seal of the United States Space Force . It represents the people of the U.S. Space Force and the advanced systems Space Operations Command operates. The three smaller deltas, which take the shape of arrows when combined with the rocket trails behind them, are taken from the U.S. Space Command seal, represent Space Operations Command's combatant command mission and
5820-400: The U.S. Pacific Fleet in 1941. It was extremely critical of the Air Force's treatment of space, with few witnesses expressing confidence that the Air Force would address the requirement to provide space capabilities to the other services or move beyond treating space as just a support capability for air operations. The most significant recommendation of the Rumsfeld Commission was the creation of
5917-445: The U.S. Space Force. In May 2021, the 30th Space Wing was redesignated as Space Launch Delta 30 and the 45th Space Wing redesignated as Space Launch Delta 45 . On 13 August 2021, it transferred its launch deltas to Space Systems Command as it activated and on 23 August 2021 Space Training and Readiness Delta (Provisional) was inactivated and its squadrons transferred to Space Training and Readiness Command . The large delta in
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#17327809300786014-459: The United States . It is one of two independent space forces in the world. The United States Space Force traces its origins to the Air Force, Army, and Navy's military space programs created during the beginning of the Cold War . US military space forces first participated in combat operations during the Vietnam War and have participated in every U.S. military operation since, most notably in
6111-416: The United States' dependence on space had increased, but comparatively little...[had] been achieved to make them more secure." It also noted, despite the recommendations of the Rumsfeld Commission, authority and responsibility for national security space remained fragmented and unfocused. Like the 2001 Rumsfeld Commission, the 2008 Allard Commission recommended establishing a Space Corps within the Department of
6208-452: The activation of Space Training and Readiness Command as a full field command. On 21 October 2020, United States Space Force was redesignated as Space Operations Command, officially transferring from a U.S. Air Force major command to a U.S. Space Force field command when Lieutenant General Stephen N. Whiting assumed command. In 2021, SpOC restructured its headquarters staff by dividing it into three deputy commanding general (DCG) positions,
6305-501: The characteristic eastward motion. The centrally superimposed deltoid symbolizes both the Air Force upward thrust into space and the launch vehicles needed to place all satellites in orbit. The distinctive dark blue background shading, small globe, and stars symbolize the space environment. Air Force Space Command's motto, "Guardians of the High Frontier," was developed from the submissions of three individuals at Space Command and
6402-431: The establishment of a Space Force if the Air Force could not, or would not, embrace spacepower. An independent Department of the Space Force would ensure that space got its fair share of resources within the Defense Department, with Senator Smith calling for the creation of a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force as a bridge to a fully independent Space Force. In 2000, Senator Smith led Congress in establishing
6499-457: The existing military space forces across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. While the Navy and Air Force gave up all of their space forces, the greatest resistance to transferring space forces came from the Army. While the Army transferred its satellite communications and missile warning assets, there are still calls for it to transfer 1st Space Brigade and 100th Missile Defense Brigade to the Space Force. The Heritage Foundation has called for
6596-646: The first CORONA reconnaissance mission, recovering 3,000 feet of film from space and imaged 1.65 million square miles of the Soviet Union's territory. Concerned about the development of the Soviet Union's own space forces, the Air Force advocated for a military human spaceflight program. General Curtis LeMay described strong parallels between World War I aviation and 1960s space operations, noting how quickly flying evolved from chivalric and unarmed reconnaissance flights to combat efforts designed to destroy enemy air superiority . General LeMay believed that it
6693-515: The first time that military space forces were unleashed to their fullest extent. Over sixty spacecraft provided 90% of theater communications and command and control for a multinational army of 500,000 troops, weather support for commanders and mission planners, missile warning of Iraqi Scud missile launches, and satellite navigation for air and land forces moving across a featureless desert. The decisive role that space forces played directly enabled an overwhelming Coalition victory and led to
6790-481: The headquarters level, the Space Force is led by the Chief of Space Operations , a four-star general who reports to the Secretary of the Air Force and provides military advice to civilian leadership of the Department of Defense and the White House . Alongside the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force combine to form the Department of the Air Force, like how the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps combine to form
6887-590: The issue, recalling that Starfleet's logo was chosen as an homage to the Space Force's direct predecessors in military space operations. The service also chose the title "Guardian" to represent its personnel, becoming its counterpart to Soldier and Airman. The term "Guardian" has a long history within Air Force Space Command, originally serving as part of its motto: "Guardians of the High Frontier." The Space Force also adopted Semper Supra as its official motto and unveiled its service song , sharing
6984-506: The long haul, our safety as a nation may depend upon achieving "space superiority." Several decades from now, the important battles may not be sea battles or air battles, but space battles, and we should be spending a certain fraction of our national resources to ensure that we do not lag in obtaining space supremacy. The beginnings of the U.S. Space Force can be traced to the Aftermath of World War II . General Henry H. Arnold , commander of
7081-616: The new service, but remained a component of the U.S. Air Force. On 21 October 2020, United States Space Force was redesignated as Space Operations Command and officially transitioned from a U.S. Air Force major command to a U.S. Space Force field command. The Air Force's space program began in 1954 with the establishment of the Western Development Division under Brigadier General Bernard Schriever . However, its space operations were fragmented across several different Air Force major commands . Aerospace Defense Command
7178-400: The nobility of its mission. Space Operations Command's emblem was unveiled on 21 October 2020 at Peterson Air Force Base , Colorado with the resignation of United States Space Force, previously Air Force Space Command, as Space Operations Command. The first commander of Air Force Space Command, General James V. Hartinger , suggested that the Air Force Space Command emblem be patterned after
7275-399: The orbital paths traced by satellites in earth orbit; the satellites themselves being symbolically depicted as four point stars. The 30 degree orbital inclination and symmetrically opposed placement of the satellites signify the worldwide coverage provided by Air Force satellites in accomplishing the surveillance and communications missions. The slight tapering of the orbital ellipses represents
7372-408: The prey. The stars that make up the constellation also pay respect to the past luminaries and leaders of military space who have built the foundation on which Space Operations Command stands. Platinum is Space Operations Command's distinguishing color and matches the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command seals. Platinum represents the strength of Guardians and Airmen, the rarity of its calling, and
7469-540: The recommendation of the Space Commission, the Space and Missile Systems Center was transferred from Air Force Materiel Command to Air Force Space Command, unifying space acquisitions and operations under the same command. This gave Air Force Space Command a unique status among the other Air Force major commands, as it was the only one to be responsible for its own acquisition. Following the September 11 attacks , Air Force Space Command provided space support to
7566-413: The role of its deltas, garrisons, and SpOC West to be the arrows in U.S. Space Command's warfighting quiver. They also represent Space Operations Command's core competencies of operations , military intelligence , and cyber . The star field is the constellation Orion , representing the mythological Greek hunter Orion . Orion signifies that Space Operations Command will always be the predator, and never
7663-678: The same day, the 9th Space Division and Space Communications Division were activated to manage launch functions. Air Force Space Command provided significant support to coalition forces during the Gulf War , providing communications and navigation through the Defense Satellite Communications System and Global Positioning System . Missile warning against SCUDs was provided by the Defense Support Program and weather forecasting through
7760-580: The same name. The decision on if the Space Force's ranks would mirror the Army, like the Air Force and Marine Corps, or the Navy, generated significant controversy, with Congressman Dan Crenshaw introducing an amendment which would force the Space Force to pattern itself after the Navy's rank structure. Ultimately, the amendment failed and the Space Force followed an Air Force/Army/Marine Corps-based rank scheme. The Space Force began to officially incorporate former Air Force Space Command units in 2020 and 2021, standing up field commands to serve as counterparts to
7857-458: The service gained its first astronaut when Colonel Michael S. Hopkins swore into the Space Force aboard the International Space Station on 18 December 2020. The Space Force also began to build out its culture and identity, however, it experienced several public relations challenges due to its perceived ties to science fiction and links to President Trump. The Space Force adopted the Army and Air Force's OCP Uniform with blue stitching and
7954-519: The service. Following the Persian Gulf War , the Air Force and Defense Department declared that "space power has now become as important to the nation as land, sea, and air power." Despite this public pronouncement, a growing section of Congress believed that space was being shortchanged and used only as an auxiliary to air operations. In 1998, drawing parallels between the challenges faced by post-World War I Army Aviators and post-Gulf War Air Force space operators, Senator Bob Smith publicly called for
8051-538: The wholesale transfer of United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command , to include the 100th Missile Defense Brigade and the 1st Space Brigade . The 100th Missile Defense Brigade operates the Ground Based Interceptor system and is located at Schriever Space Force Base , Vandenberg Space Force Base , and Fort Greely . Former Air Force space officers have called to move the missile defense and intercontinental ballistic missile mission to
8148-522: The world, establishing the Western Development Division in 1954 and placing it under the command of General Schriever. The Army followed a year later, creating the Army Ballistic Missile Agency under the leadership of General John Bruce Medaris and Dr. Wernher von Braun . The Army led the United States into space, launching the first American spacecraft, Explorer 1 , on 31 January 1958. Space exploration continued to be
8245-438: Was followed by the establishment of the joint United States Space Command in 1985, aligning Air Force Space Command, Naval Space Command , and Army Space Command under a single operational commander. These two moves, along with the Strategic Defense Initiative 's establishment by President Ronald Reagan , led to a renaissance of military space operations in the 1980s. Space forces were first used in combat operations during
8342-577: Was formed as Aerospace Defense Command was being disestablished, and its other assets being transferred to Tactical Air Command (1 October 1979) and Strategic Air Command . The Aerospace Defense Center as part of an "ad hoc working group" of personnel from Air Force Systems Command and the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force studied the 1982 proposal for "reorganization of USAF space management practices" by General Robert T. Marsh . Space Command
8439-632: Was immediately redesignated as United States Space Force, however, the command and its 16,000 Airmen technically remained part of the Air Force. On 3 April 2020, Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman became the Space Force's second member and was appointed its first senior enlisted leader . The service gained its first new second lieutenants when 86 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy class of 2020 became Space Force members 3 through 88 on 18 April 2020. Currently serving Air Force space operators began to become Space Force members in September 2020 and
8536-536: Was inactivated as an Air Force major command (although preserved as a specified command within NORAD ), with its air defense mission transferred to Tactical Air Command in 1979 and its space assets moved to Strategic Air Command in 1980. Calls for an independent space command grew within the 1980s, with some in Congress even calling for the Air Force to be reorganized as the U.S. Aerospace Force. On 1 September 1982,
8633-492: Was included in the Trump Administration's original legislative proposal to give the Space Force additional independence and autonomy but was removed by the Senate. There have also been numerous calls from inside and outside the Space Force for it to have its own public affairs and judge advocate generals, independent from Air Force. When the Space Force was established in 2019 it was intended to consolidate
8730-575: Was naive to believe that the same trends were not expected to be seen in space and must be prepared for. Although the Air Force made significant progress in developing the X-20 spaceplane , Manned Orbiting Laboratory , and Blue Gemini , opposition from the Department of Defense prevented operational fielding. The Air Force was also forced to cancel Project SAINT , a satellite inspector with satellite neutralization capabilities, when details were leaked to The New York Times in 1962. Despite these setbacks,
8827-572: Was outlined in Space Policy Directive-4, initially organizing the U.S. Space Force as part of the Department of the Air Force, but with plans to build out a separate Department of the Space Force in the future. In 2019, Congress passed legislation establishing the U.S. Space Force as a military service under the Department of the Air Force. On 20 December 2019, the National Defense Authorization Act
8924-419: Was recognized as the lead military service for space by the early 1960s, with the Army and Navy operating in supporting roles. Early military space efforts were focused on developing and fielding spacecraft to accomplish national objectives, with a focus on weather , reconnaissance and surveillance , communications , and navigation . On 18 August 1961, the Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office launched
9021-399: Was renamed Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC or AFSPACECOM ) to distinguish it from U.S. Space Command, Naval Space Command , and Army Space Command . On 20 December 2019, following the establishment of the United States Space Force as an independent service, Air Force Space Command was also redesignated as United States Space Force ( USSF ) and served as the transitional headquarters of
9118-634: Was renamed Air Force Space Command in 1985. After the Aerospace Defense Center was disestablished, aerospace defense history operations continued by the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Command History Office, and the Air Force Space Command Office of History. The AFSPC command historian has been Mr. George W. Bradley, III since 1992. [1] A "Specialized Historical Document Collection" is in Peterson AFB Building 1470, and
9215-719: Was replaced by Peterson-Schriever Garrison , which oversaw Peterson Air Force Base , Schriever Air Force Base , Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station , Pituffik Space Base , New Boston Air Force Station , and Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station , while the 460th Space Wing was replaced by Buckley Garrison , which oversaw Buckley Air Force Base , Cape Cod Air Force Station , Cavalier Air Force Station , and Clear Air Force Station . The 25th Space Range Squadron , 328th Weapons Squadron , 527th Aggressor Squadron , and 533rd Training Squadron were incorporated into Space Training and Readiness Delta (Provisional) , pending
9312-460: Was responsible for space surveillance and missile warning , Strategic Air Command operated weather satellites , and Air Force Systems Command , primarily responsible for research and development, also had operational responsibilities for operating communication satellites and space launch . As Air Force space programs began to mature in the 1970s and early 1980s, their disjointed nature presented operational issues. The impending deployment of
9409-399: Was signed into law and the U.S. Space Force was established as the sixth armed service, meeting the Rumsfeld and Allard commissions' recommendations to create a Space Corps within the Department of the Air Force, but still falling short of creating a separate Department of the Space Force. We are at the dawn of a new era for our Nation’s Armed Forces. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force
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