3d Space Operations Squadron
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 3d Space Operations Squadron (3 SOPS) is a satellite
operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado
.
Phase III satellites and Wideband Global Satellite. These satellites provide secure high-rate data communications links to the President, the Secretary of Defense, theater commanders, and strategic and tactical forces worldwide.
in May 1941. Performed aerial mapping primarily over the southeastern United States prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack using P-39 Aircobra sub-variants (F-2) which were equipped for the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles. After the United States entry into World War II, flew aerial mapping missions over the Caribbean and northern South America, mapping various islands for locations of airfields to support the South Atlantic Transport route and Antilles Air Command antisubmarine mission. In addition, flew aerial mapping missions over Western Canada and the Alaska Territory
, mapping uncharted territory to support the building of the Alaska Highway
.
Deployed to China-India-Burma theater in December 1943, performing unarmed long-range mapping of remote areas of the Theater over combat areas in support of ground forces and strategic target identification over Indochina and Malay Peninsula for follow-up raids by XX Bomber Command operating from India.
Returned to the United States in early 1944; equipped with very long range B-29 Superfortress
es converted to F-13A reconnaissance configuration. Deployed to the Central Pacific Area (CPA) and assigned to XXI Bomber Command (later 20th Air Force). Supported the Strategic Air Offensive over the Japanese Home Islands; on 31 Oct. 1944, a 3rd PRS F-13 became the first American aircraft over Tokyo since the famed Doolittle Raid in 1942. By the end of the war, the 3rd PRS had flown 460 combat missions mainly over Japan. Remained in the Western Pacific performing reconnaissance mapping flights over Japan, Korea
and China.
B-29s returned to the United States in early 1946 for storage or reassignment; Inactivated in early 1947.
In November 1990, the 3rd SCS was directed to relocate a DSCS II from over the Pacific to a position over the Indian Ocean in support of Operation Desert Shield. The series of relocation maneuvers were completed in December 1990 and the satellite was then configured for operational use. Combat crews saved a failing FLTSATCOM spacecraft just as Operation Desert Storm commenced, ensuring the U.S. Navy's two carrier groups had command and control of their aircraft.
On 11 July 1991, in a formal operations turnover ceremony, the squadron accepted complete operational mission transfer of all assigned satellite programs. This transfer officially established operational control of the assigned DOD communications satellites to Air Force Space Command.
On 30 Jan. 1992, as part of a reorganization at Falcon AFB, the 3rd SCS was redesignated the 3rd SOPS.
On 25 March 1993, the first UHF F/O was launched. Unfortunately due to an Atlas II rocket booster malfunction, the satellite was placed in the wrong orbit. Over the next several weeks, 3rd personnel planned and executed a series of 25 maneuvers to move the satellite to a super-synchronous orbit. The commander of Air Force Space Command recognized 3rd SOPS for their heroic efforts.
In June 1996, as part of an Air Force and Navy agreement, operations of the FLTSAT constellation were turned over to the Naval Satellite Operations Center at Pt. Mugu, Calif. In December 1996, 3rd SOPS transferred control of the Milstar constellation to 4th SOPS. On 18 Dec. 1996, 3rd SOPS gained control of five operating locations located in Nebraska, Virginia, Guam, Italy, and Hawaii. The OLs were responsible for running the Air Force's Satellite Management Centers, which monitored and controlled user access to UHF communications satellites. As part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT, the SMC's mission was also transferred to the Navy.
On 2 July 1999, as part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT to the Navy, operational control of UHF F/O Flights 2–9 transferred to NAVSOC. On 10 Feb. 2000, after several months of on-orbit checkout, 3rd SOPS conducted its last UHF F/O sortie on Flight 10.
As part of the Congressionally mandated Base Realignment and Closure decision of Onizuka Air Force Station in 1996, 3rd SOPS assumed the DSCS III launch mission from 5th SOPS. The most recent DSCS III launch took place in March 2003.
In October 2007, 3 SOPS assumed satellite control authority of one of the DOD's newest and most robust communications satellites, with the launch of WGS-2 Wideband Global SATCOM.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 3d Space Operations Squadron (3 SOPS) is a satellite
Satellite
In 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....
operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Mission
The mission of 3 SOPS is to ensure reliable space-borne communications to the President, the Secretary of Defense and U.S. and Allied Forces. The mission is accomplished by conducting launch and on-orbit operations for the Defense Satellite Communications SystemDefense 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...
Phase III satellites and Wideband Global Satellite. These satellites provide secure high-rate data communications links to the President, the Secretary of Defense, theater commanders, and strategic and tactical forces worldwide.
World War II
Established under the 1st Photographic Group1st Photographic Group
The 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
in May 1941. Performed aerial mapping primarily over the southeastern United States prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack using P-39 Aircobra sub-variants (F-2) which were equipped for the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles. After the United States entry into World War II, flew aerial mapping missions over the Caribbean and northern South America, mapping various islands for locations of airfields to support the South Atlantic Transport route and Antilles Air Command antisubmarine mission. In addition, flew aerial mapping missions over Western Canada and the Alaska Territory
Alaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, mapping uncharted territory to support the building of the Alaska Highway
Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon...
.
Deployed to China-India-Burma theater in December 1943, performing unarmed long-range mapping of remote areas of the Theater over combat areas in support of ground forces and strategic target identification over Indochina and Malay Peninsula for follow-up raids by XX Bomber Command operating from India.
Returned to the United States in early 1944; equipped with very long range B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es converted to F-13A reconnaissance configuration. Deployed to the Central Pacific Area (CPA) and assigned to XXI Bomber Command (later 20th Air Force). Supported the Strategic Air Offensive over the Japanese Home Islands; on 31 Oct. 1944, a 3rd PRS F-13 became the first American aircraft over Tokyo since the famed Doolittle Raid in 1942. By the end of the war, the 3rd PRS had flown 460 combat missions mainly over Japan. Remained in the Western Pacific performing reconnaissance mapping flights over Japan, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and China.
B-29s returned to the United States in early 1946 for storage or reassignment; Inactivated in early 1947.
Modern era
In 1985, the initial cadre of Air Force NATO III and DSCS II satellite operators received training at Sunnyvale Air Force Station, Calif. These personnel relocated to Falcon AFB in 1987 and became Operating Location-AB, Consolidated Space Test Center. These men and women became the nucleus of what would eventually become the 3rd SOPS. On 2 Aug. 1988, OL-AB began 24-hour operations at Falcon AFS. By May 1989, OL-AB was conducting station-keeping maneuvers on NATO III and DSCS II satellites. On 2 Feb. 1990, OL-AB was deactivated with the personnel and mission transferring to the newly activated 3rd SOPS.In November 1990, the 3rd SCS was directed to relocate a DSCS II from over the Pacific to a position over the Indian Ocean in support of Operation Desert Shield. The series of relocation maneuvers were completed in December 1990 and the satellite was then configured for operational use. Combat crews saved a failing FLTSATCOM spacecraft just as Operation Desert Storm commenced, ensuring the U.S. Navy's two carrier groups had command and control of their aircraft.
On 11 July 1991, in a formal operations turnover ceremony, the squadron accepted complete operational mission transfer of all assigned satellite programs. This transfer officially established operational control of the assigned DOD communications satellites to Air Force Space Command.
On 30 Jan. 1992, as part of a reorganization at Falcon AFB, the 3rd SCS was redesignated the 3rd SOPS.
On 25 March 1993, the first UHF F/O was launched. Unfortunately due to an Atlas II rocket booster malfunction, the satellite was placed in the wrong orbit. Over the next several weeks, 3rd personnel planned and executed a series of 25 maneuvers to move the satellite to a super-synchronous orbit. The commander of Air Force Space Command recognized 3rd SOPS for their heroic efforts.
In June 1996, as part of an Air Force and Navy agreement, operations of the FLTSAT constellation were turned over to the Naval Satellite Operations Center at Pt. Mugu, Calif. In December 1996, 3rd SOPS transferred control of the Milstar constellation to 4th SOPS. On 18 Dec. 1996, 3rd SOPS gained control of five operating locations located in Nebraska, Virginia, Guam, Italy, and Hawaii. The OLs were responsible for running the Air Force's Satellite Management Centers, which monitored and controlled user access to UHF communications satellites. As part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT, the SMC's mission was also transferred to the Navy.
On 2 July 1999, as part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT to the Navy, operational control of UHF F/O Flights 2–9 transferred to NAVSOC. On 10 Feb. 2000, after several months of on-orbit checkout, 3rd SOPS conducted its last UHF F/O sortie on Flight 10.
As part of the Congressionally mandated Base Realignment and Closure decision of Onizuka Air Force Station in 1996, 3rd SOPS assumed the DSCS III launch mission from 5th SOPS. The most recent DSCS III launch took place in March 2003.
In October 2007, 3 SOPS assumed satellite control authority of one of the DOD's newest and most robust communications satellites, with the launch of WGS-2 Wideband Global SATCOM.
Lineage
- Constituted 3d Photographic Squadron on 15 May 1941
- Activated on 10 Jun 1941
- Redesignated: 3d Mapping Squadron on 13 Jan 1942
- Redesignated: 3d Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 Jun 1942
- Redesignated: 3d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Heavy) on 19 May 1944
- Redesignated: 3d Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic-RCM) on 19 Sep 1945
- Redesignated: 3d Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic) on 16 Jan 1946
- Inactivated on 15 Mar 1947.
- Redesignated as 3d Satellite Control Squadron and activated on 9 Jan 1990
- Redesignated as 3d Space Operations Squadron on 30 Jan 1992
Assignments
- 1st Photographic (later Mapping; Photographic Charting) Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 Jun 1941 - 11th Photographic Group11th Photographic GroupThe 11th Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida...
, 1 Dec 1943 - 311th Photographic (later Reconnaissance) Wing311th Air DivisionThe 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
, 5 Oct 1944
- Attached to: Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 1 Nov 1944 - Attached to: XXI Bomber CommandXXI Bomber CommandThe XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in Guam for strategic bombing during World War II.- Lineage:* Constituted as XXI Bomber Command on 1 Mar 1944, and activated the same day.-Assignments:...
, Dec 1944 - Attached to: Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 16 Jul 1945- Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 3 Feb – 15 Mar 1947 - 2d Space Wing2d Space WingThe 2d Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force. It activated on 8 July 1985 as the host wing at Falcon Air Force Station . The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987...
, 9 Jan 1990 - 50th Operations Group50th Operations GroupThe 50th Operations Group is a component of the 50th Space Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado....
, 1 Jan 1992 – present
- Twentieth Air Force
Stations
- Maxwell FieldMaxwell FieldMaxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St., Louisville, Kentucky, 40203 which was bounded by the streets of Brook, Breckinridge, Floyd, and Caldwell streets in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1984 a double murder known locally...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, 10 Jun 1941 - MacDill Field, Florida, 22 Dec 1941
- Smoky Hill Army Airfield, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 16 Apr – 3 Aug 1944 - Isley FieldSaipan International Airport- See also :* East Field * USAAF in the Central Pacific-References:* Dorr, Robert F. B-29 Units of World War II. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-285-7...
, SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Northern Mariana IslandsNorthern Mariana IslandsThe Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
, 18 Sep 1944 - Harmon FieldHarmon Air Force BaseHarmon Air Force Base is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield, and postwar United States Air Force Base on Guam in the Mariana Islands. Originally named "Depot Field", it was renamed in honor of Lieutenant General Millard F. Harmon, who was killed on a routine flight from...
, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Northern Mariana IslandsNorthern Mariana IslandsThe Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
, 11 Jan 1945 – 15 Mar 1947 - Falcon (later 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...
, 9 Jan 1990 – present
Aircraft/Satellites operated
- P-39/F-2 Aircobra, 1942
- B-25/F-10 Mitchell, 1942–1944
- B-24/F-7 Liberator, 1943–1945
- B-17/F9 Flying Fortress, 1944; 1946–1947
- B-29/F-13A Superfortress, 1944–1947
- Wideband Global Satellite (2007–present)
- UHF Follow-On (1990–2004)
- DSCS IIIDefense 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...
(1990 – present) - Skynet IV/NATO IVSkynet (satellites)Skynet is a family of military satellites, now operated by Paradigm Secure Communications on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the British Armed Forces and to NATO forces engaged on coalition tasks.-Skynet 1:There were two...
(1990–2004) - FLTSATCOM (1990–???)
- DSCS IIDefense 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...
(1990–???)
Decorations
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- 1 Sep 1990-31 Aug 1991
- 1 Oct 2000-1 Oct 2001
- 1 Oct 2001-1 Oct 2002
- 2 Oct 2002-2 Oct 2003