1st Expeditionary Space Control Squadron explained

Unit Name:1st Expeditionary Space Control Squadron
Dates:1989-2008
Role:Space Control
Command Structure:Air Force Space Command
Notable Commanders:B. Chance Saltzman
Motto:Vigilance Over Space
Decorations:Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Identification Symbol Label:1st Expeditionary Space Control Squadron emblem (approved 15 November 1994)

The United States Air Force's 1st Expeditionary Space Control Squadron is a provisional squadron attached to the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

Before conversion to provisional status, the 1st Space Control Squadron was a space situational awareness unit last located at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The squadron commanded the United States Space Surveillance Network to detect, track, identify and catalog positional data for all human-made objects in Earth orbit. The squadron was established in 1989 as the 1st Command and Control Squadron at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Colorado. It was inactivated in 2008 and its personnel and equipment were integrated into the 614th Air and Space Operations Center.

History

Background

The roots of the squadron can be traced to 1961, when the Space Detection and Tracking System Center at opened at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado. The center brought together Air Force and Navy systems designed to track objects in space in all directions, not merely Soviet missiles launched over the North Pole. The center came under the operational control of North American Air Defense Command.[2] There were several subsequent moves, name changes, and changes in personnel, experience, and equipment.

Activation

The Air Force activated the 1st Command and Control Squadron at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado in December 1989 to operate the system.[1] The 1st Command and Control Squadron provided collision avoidance support during each shuttle mission as well as maintaining an extensive satellite catalog (the "SATCAT" or "Box score").[3] This catalog is used by U.S. civilian and military agencies when launching new satellites into space, as well as by U.S. allies.[4]

The 1 SPCS tracked and compiled positional data on thousands of man-made objects in space partly to prevent collisions between newly launched satellites and other objects already orbiting the Earth. Additionally, the unit had the mission to task 30 space sensors within Space Surveillance Network to track satellites for US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) to maintain an accurate satellite catalog (SATCAT) of over 9000 objects orbiting the Earth.,[5] [6] To support crewed space flight, 1 SPCS constructs a theoretical box around the Space Shuttle, MIR or ISS, and projects flight path intersections for 36 to 72 hours. If any objects intersects the theoretical box, the unit forwarded the analysis to NASA, allowing them to determine whether to change the spacecraft/space station's flight path. Based on 1 SPCS mission analysis, and its predecessor units, NASA has moved the Space Shuttle 12 times and the International Space Station five times since 1981.[7] In June 1995, the unit tracked the U.S. Space Shuttle Atlantis during its historic rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir. The unit also compiled a catalog of space objects.[8] [9]

The 1 SPCS also contained international personnel, such as Canadian military, since SSA was not just a U.S. problem.[6]

Move

In 2006, Admiral Timothy Keating, commander of NORAD directed a study on the continued use of the hardened command post at Cheyenne Mountain in view of what was perceived as diminished threats.[10] The decision to close Cheyenne Mountain required a unit move. The unit moved to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California in 2007 to better coordinate activities with the Joint Space Operations Center, it lost over 150 years of expert civilian experience.[11]

Inactivation

The unit was inactivated on 9 Jun 2008, and its mission and members integrated into the 614th Air and Space Operations Center / Joint Space Operations Center.[12] Unconfirmed sources state that Cheyenne Mountain may retain some capability to cover the 1 SPCS mission, if required.[13]

Lineage

Activated on 1 December 1989

Redesignated 1st Space Control Squadron on 1 October 2001

Inactivated c. 9 June 2008

Activated 27 February 2009[14]

Assignments

Attached to 21st Space Wing, 27 February 2009[14]

Stations

Commanders

Awards

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Factsheet 1 Space Control Squadron (AFSPC). Haulman. Daniel L.. 15 April 2008. Air Force Historical Research Agency. 20 May 2017.
  2. Sloan p. 98
  3. Web site: Cataloging space junk: Working on the 'world's largest jigsaw puzzle'. Wood. Douglas S.. 2 August 2005. CNN. 29 May 2017.
  4. Web site: 21st Space Wing [21 SW]]. 20 July 2011. Globalsecurity.org. 29 May 2017.
  5. News: A New Sensor Allocation Algorithm for the Space Surveillance Network. Miller. James G. (Gil). 2007. 12 . 1. MOR Journal Abstracts. Military Operations Research Society. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080517172010/http://www.mors.org/publications/mor/vol12.htm . 17 May 2008. 16 April 2009.
  6. Space: the final recruiting frontier. Bridges. Holly. 2007. 10 . 5. The Maple Leaf. National Defence and the Canadian Forces. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120214033935/http://www.dnd.ca/site/Commun/ml-fe/article-eng.asp?id=3393 . 14 February 2012. 16 April 2009.
  7. Web site: Staff writer(s) . SGI Systems Help U.S. Air Force Space Command Detect, Track, Identify And Catalog Man-Made Objects in Space . https://web.archive.org/web/20061119070927/http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-10-2003/0001962550&EDATE= . 10 June 2003 . 19 November 2006 . dead . 20 May 2017 .
  8. Web site: NASA honors 1st Space Control Squadron team . Schmalz . Trisha . 6 August 2007 . Air Force Space Command Public Affairs . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090426013748/http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123063509 . 26 April 2009 . 29 May 2017 .
  9. Web site: Space Surveillance Contributions to the STS 107 Accident Investigation. Kelso. T.S.. Morris. R.F.. DeVere. G.T.. Randolph. J.C.. Bowman. B.R.. Racca. R.A.. Thurston. N.L.. Celestrak.com. 29 May 2017.
  10. Web site: Zubeck . Pam . Cheyenne Mountain's fate may lie in study contents . 16 June 2006 . The Colorado Springs Gazette . https://web.archive.org/web/20080319134621/http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/yspace/articles/cheyenne_mountain_study.htm . 19 March 2008 . dead . 20 May 2017 .
  11. Web site: Space News: "Chilton: Progress Is Being Made On Space Situational Awareness," 24 Apr 2007 . https://archive.today/20090513223254/http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive07/ssax_0423.html . 13 May 2009 . dead . 2009-04-16 .
  12. Web site: 1st Space Control Squadron inactivates, joins 14th AOC. Stewart. SRA Erica. 9 June 2008. 30th Space Wing Public Affairs. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225727/http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123102016 . 3 March 2016. 20 May 2017.
  13. News: Bad move? As NORAD leaves Cheyenne Mountain, some worry it's a dangerous mistake . de Yoanna . Michelle . 3 May 2007 . Colorado Springs Independent . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110611093113/http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:20629 . 11 June 2011 . 29 May 2017 .
  14. Web site: Factsheet 1 Expeditionary Space Control Squadron (AFSPC). Robertson. Patsy. 3 April 2009. Air Force Historical Research Agency. 20 May 2017.
  15. Web site: Peterson AFB Library Biographies: Col Scott F. Shepherd. 460 Space Wing Public Affairs. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120214023340/http://www.peterson.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=9641 . 14 February 2012. 20 May 2017.
  16. Web site: Scully . Janene . Space unit settles in at VAFB . 29 October 2007 . Santa Maria Times . https://archive.today/20090513223302/http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2007/10/29/news/centralcoast/news03.txt . 13 May 2009 . dead . 17 May 2017 .