1st Air and Space Test Squadron
The 1st Air and Space Test Squadron is a division of the 30th Space Wing of the United States Air Force, responsible for spacelift and test operations.
The squadron's operations include launching of the Minotaur I and Pegasus rockets; as well as testing the Boeing Interceptor and Minotaur II target vehicles.
Mission
The squadron's mission is to provide complete service launch and test operations for current and future space launch vehicles, targets, interceptors and experimental space systems.
History
Mapped areas of the United States, 1940-1943; Alaska, Canada, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Greenland, 1941-1943; Africa, Middle East, India, and China, 1943-1944; Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia, 1944; and the Far East, 1945-1947. Conducted weapons system evaluation, known as COMBAT SAGE, of F-4 aircraft from 1969, of F-15 aircraft from 1980, and of F-16 aircraft from 1982, until shortly before inactivation. Also trained visiting aircrews in weapons employment and tactics.
Lineage
- Constituted 1st Photographic Squadron on 22 Dec 1939
- Activated on 1st Feb 1940
- Re-designated: 1st Mapping Squadron on 13 Jan 1942
- Re-designated: 1st Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 Jun 1942
- Re-designated: 1st Photographic Charting Squadron on 11 Aug 1943
- Re-designated: 1st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Heavy on 10 Nov 1944
- Re-designated: 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic-RCM on 4 Oct 1945
- Re-designated: 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic on 13 Nov 1945
- Inactivated on 10 Mar 1947
- Disbanded on 8 Oct 1948
- Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 1st Test Squadron, which was constituted on 12 Sep 1969
- Activated on 15 Oct 1969
- Inactivated on 30 Oct 1991
- Re-designated 1st Air and Space Test Squadron on 28 Oct 2003
- Activated on 1 Dec 2003.
Assignments
Stations
- Deployed to Accra Airfield, Gold Coast, British West Africa, 11 Mar-13 Oct 1944
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Aircraft
- C-8, 1940
- B-10, 1940
- C-45/F-2, 1940; 1946-1947
- A-29, 1941-1942
- A-20/F-3, 1942
- B-24/F-7, 1942-1945
- B-34, 1942-1944
- B-25, 1943
- B-17/F-9, 1943-1944
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- B-29/F-13, 1944-1947
- L-4, 1946
- L-5, 1946-1947
- F-4, 1969-unkn (at least thru 1989)
- BQM-34A, 1969-1989
- F-15, 1980-unkn (at least thru 1989)
- F-16, 1982-unkn (at least thru 1989)
- MQM-107D, 1989-unkn.
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Decorations
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: April 3 – May 31, 1975, July 1, 1976 – June 30, 1977, April 1, 1980 – March 31, 1982, July 1, 1985 – June 30, 1987, June 1, 1988 – June 1, 1990.
- Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation: July 21 – August 15, 1972.
External links
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| Air Forces |
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| Bases |
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| Stations |
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| Wings |
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Space
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Acquisition
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Air Base
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Cyber
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| Squadrons |
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Space Aggressor
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Command and Control
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Space Communications
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Space Control
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Space Development
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1st • 2d • 3d
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Space Experimentation
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Space Launch
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Space Operations
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Space Surveillance
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Space Test
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1st Air and Space • 2d • 3d • 4th
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Space Weather
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55th
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Space Warning
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