(U) Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U)  The Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is a major command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.   Activated on 1 September 1982,  AFSPC's mission is to defend the United States of America through the control and exploitation of space.  AFSPC makes space reliable and routine for the warfighter by continuously improving the command's ability to provide and support combat forces.  It has four primary mission areas: space force support, space control, space force enhancement, and space force application.

Description: (U)
(U)  The following paragraphs describe AFSPC's four primary mission areas:

(U)  Space Force Support- AFSPC has the responsibility to launch and operate United States military satellites.  It launches satellites using expendable launch vehicles such as the Titan II, Titan IV, Atlas II, and Delta II from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.  AFSPC operates the worldwide Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) to constantly monitor the operation of satellites in orbit.

(U)  Space Control-AFSPC tracks and catalogues over 8,000 man-made objects orbiting the earth. These objects range from space junk the size of a baseball to large satellites.  It routinely ensures that the Space Shuttle has a clear path while it is orbiting the earth. Space Control, which can sometimes be referred to as space superiority, may include denying an enemy use of space assets.

(U)  Space Force Enhancement- AFSPC provides space support to the warfighter. The five key elements of this support include: navigation, weather, missile warning, satellite communications, and intelligence. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides 24-hour, all-weather navigation data to military and commercial users worldwide.  The polar orbiting Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites provide critical weather information to United States military forces around the world. The constellation of Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites, along with our ground based Ballistic Missile Early Warning radars and coastal Phased Array radars, provide the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Canada with critical missile attack warning and assessment. AFSPC operates healthy communications satellite constellations that cover the frequency spectrum. They also operate systems that support national intelligence assets.

(U)  Space Force Application - AFSPC maintains a combat-ready force of 530 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) around the clock.  The ICBMs comprise the most potent and reliable component of the nation's strategic triad with an on-alert rate of over 99 percent.

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) DMSP, DSP, Milstar I, Milstar II, Space Warfare Center (SWC), US Space Command (USSPACECOM)

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Military Hqtrs & Space Commands

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) GENERAL SUPPORT.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)