20th Space Control Squadron
| 20th Space Control Squadron | |
|---|---|
|
20th Space Control Squadron emblem | |
| Active | 1966-Present |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Space Control |
| Role | Active Space Surveillance |
| Part of | 21st Space Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Eglin AFB, Florida |
| Motto | DETECT - TRACK - IDENTIFY |
| Decorations |
 AFOUA |
| Website | Eglin AFB fact sheet |
The 20th Space Control Squadron (20SPCS) is a 21st Space Wing unit with the mission to detect, track, identify, and report near earth and deep space objects in earth's orbit, and provide space object identification data in support of United States Strategic Command's space control mission. Support for the 20SPCS operations of the radar/computer system at Eglin AFB Site C-6 is provided by Peterson AFB's 21st Maintenance Division.
History
Initially the 20th Surveillance Squadron in November 1966 as part of Aerospace Defense Command's 9th Aerospace Defense Division, the surveillance squadron moved in September 1968 to Eglin AFB Site C-6 as it was being completed. Subsequently renamed the 20th Missile Warning Squadron (in 1972, 20% of the site's "surveillance capability…became dedicated to search for SLBMs"),[1] Site C-6 was assigned 1979-83 to Strategic Air Command's Directorate of Space and Missile Warning Systems (SAC/SX). The surveillance squadron name was restored in May 1987, and the unit was renamed the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron in May 1992 and the 20th Space Control Squadron in February 2003. The squadron received the General Lance W. Lord Award for mission accomplishment in 2008.[2]
In 2010, the squadron was operating both the Phased Array Space Surveillance Radar in Florida and at nine sites in eight states, the "AN/FPS-133 Air Force Space Surveillance Fence"[3] at the 33rd Parallel.[4]
Detachment 1
In October 2004, the squadron's Detachment 1 took over operations of the Space Fence control center at the Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia.[3] On April 30, 2010, the 20SPCS Det 1 mission was changed to "mission and facility support" for the Dahlgren center (a new unit, the Distributed Space Command and Control - Dahlgren, took over operations, with Det 1's operation officer becoming the DSC2 commander.)[3]
Decorations
References
- ↑ Jane's Radar and Electronic Systems, 6th edition, Bernard Blake, ed. (1994), p. 31 (citation 77 of 1997 Winkler/Webster Searching the Skies)
- ↑ http://www.eglin.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123117128&page=1
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.peterson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123202956 (also available at )
- ↑ https://ssl.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?letter_id=2091988976
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-10, 2001
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-97, 2000
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-62, 6 December 1999
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-58, 6 December 1999
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-09, 1 November 1997
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-30, 1994
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-95, 1992
- ↑ AFSPC Special Order GA-45, 1990
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