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1st Space Operations Squadron [1st SOPS]

The 1st Space Operations Squadron is a component of the 50th Operations Group, 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, CO. It is the only Air Force Space Command squadron providing consolidated spacecraft command and control support for Defense Support Program, Navstar Global Positioning System, and research and development satellite systems.

The squadron operates and maintains 24-hour Air Force Satellite Control Network command and control capability for GPS, DSP and MSX constellations. The 1st SOPS also operates and maintains a research and development space system providing vital weather data worldwide.

The 1st SOPS performs launch and early-orbit operations for GPS and DSP systems including satellite activation, initial checkout, and transfer to mission orbit. It plans and executes tracking, telemetry, and commanding functions for GPS, DSP, MXS and a NASA R&D satellite to maintain spacecraft state-of-health, sustain on-orbit operations, and accomplish mission taskings. They respond to all satellite emergencies, and support end-of-life testing and disposal operations for GPS, DSP and MXS and R&D spacecraft as required.

The squadron maintains DSP spacecraft positional knowledge to 200 meters and distributes data to worldwide users. They maintain the capacity to support at least six contacts for each DSP satellite per day. When required, the squadron can relocate within 48 hours to Onizuka Air Force Station, CA, the 1st SOPS back-up node, to perform limited command and control to sustain on-orbit operations of assigned DSP and GPS spacecraft. The unit also completes 100 percent of MSX and R&D training and evaluation.

A four-person mission control crew, conducting 24-hour operations conducts the three major functions of satellite control; telemetry, tracking and commanding. The four-person crew consists of a crew commander, crew chief, a satellite systems operator, and a ground systems operator. Orbital analysts and program engineers provide program specific knowledge and support to the crews. The operators perform pre-contact planning, real time contact, and post-contact evaluation. The squadron conducts more than 2000 contacts a month.

As Air Force Space Command's only multimission Satellite Operations Control Center, the squadron is tasked with:

• Conducting command and control for four distinct constellations:
  • Defense Support Program;
  • Global Positioning System;
  • Midcourse Space Experiment; and
  • NASA research and development program, in low earth to deep space orbits.
• Performance launch, on-orbit, emergency, end-of-life testing, and disposal operations providing warning, navigation, R&D, surveillance and weather to the National Command Authority, Joint Chiefs of Staff and eight commanders-in-chief worldwide.

Approximately 160 active duty Air Force members and seven Department of Defense civilians are assigned to the 1st Space Operations Squadron. Air Force Space Command's Associate Reserve Squadron, the 7th Space Operations Squadron, is assigned to support the 1st Space Operations Squadron.

The unit was originally activated on February 14, 1961 as the 1st Aerospace Control Squadron which was in operation until April 1976. On October 5, 1987, the squadron was reactivated, renamed the 1st Satellite Control Squadron, and began its ever-growing satellite control mission. On February 16, 1988 the squadron began its first commanding on the DSP constellation. The Space Operations Center was operationally turned over to Air Force Space Command on December 21, 1989. The SOC increased its mission on February 20, 1990, when the DMSP mission was operationally turned over.

Reactivated on January 30, 1992 as the 1st Space Operations Squadron, the unit received satellite command authority for the first research and development satellite controlled by Air Force Space Command, Technology for Autonomous Operational Survivability, in May 1996.

On December 4, 1998 the squadron assumed command and control capability on the Midcourse Space Experiment which became an operational program on October 1, 2000 with the first-ever transfer of operations from the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization to Air Force Space Command.