18th Space Defense Squadron
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The 18th Space Defense Squadron (18 SDS) is a
United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space force branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the Unite ...
Space Domain Awareness Space domain awareness is the study and monitoring of satellites orbiting the Earth. It involves the detection, tracking, cataloging and identification of artificial objects, i.e. active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or Space debris, ...
unit located at
Vandenberg Space Force Base Vandenberg Space Force Base , previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The 18th SDS is tasked with executing command and control of the
space surveillance network The United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN) detects, tracks, catalogs and identifies artificial objects orbiting Earth, e.g. active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation debris. The system is the responsibility of Uni ...
(SSN), maintaining the resident space object (RSO) database and managing
United States Space Command United States Space Command (USSPACECOM or SPACECOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations 100 kilometers (62 miles) and greater ...
's space situational awareness (SSA) sharing program to United States, foreign government, commercial, and academic entities. The squadron also conducts advanced analysis, sensor optimization, conjunction assessment, human spaceflight support, reentry/break-up assessment, and launch analysis.


Mission

The mission of the 18th SDS is to provide and advance a continuous, comprehensive, and combat-relevant understanding of the space situation. The squadron processes SSN data to monitor all activity to, in, and from space, and maintains custody of all resident space objects. Primary mission functions include launch detection and tracking, conjunction assessment and
collision avoidance In transportation, collision avoidance is the maintenance of systems and practices designed to prevent vehicles (such as aircraft, motor vehicles, ships, cranes and trains) from colliding with each other. They perceive the environment with sensors ...
,
human spaceflight Human spaceflight (also referred to as manned spaceflight or crewed spaceflight) is spaceflight with a crew or passengers aboard a spacecraft, often with the spacecraft being operated directly by the onboard human crew. Spacecraft can also be ...
support, maneuver detection,
breakup A relationship breakup, breakup, or break-up is the ending of a Interpersonal relationship, relationship. The act is commonly termed "dumping omeone in slang when it is initiated by one partner. The term is less likely to be applied to a ma ...
identification, and
reentry Atmospheric entry (sometimes listed as Vimpact or Ventry) is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. Atmospheric entry may be ''uncontrolled entr ...
assessment. These functions ultimately enhance an information advantage and enable space superiority in the defense of U.S. and allied interests. Additionally, the 18 SDS also executes U.S. Space Command's Space Situational Awareness sharing program, which provides tracking data of resident space objects to DoD, interagency, commercial, international and academic partners to: * Promote peaceful and responsible use of space by tracking more than 45,000 man-made objects and sharing space data with the world * Reduce uncertainty in space domain to minimize risk of misunderstanding and miscalculations


History

The 18th Space Surveillance Squadron (SPSS) was the optical portion of the
United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space force branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the Unite ...
's
Space Surveillance Network The United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN) detects, tracks, catalogs and identifies artificial objects orbiting Earth, e.g. active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation debris. The system is the responsibility of Uni ...
. They were responsible for operating four worldwide
GEODSS The United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN) detects, tracks, catalogs and identifies artificial objects orbiting Earth, e.g. active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation debris. The system is the responsibility of Uni ...
sites, in addition to the Transportable Optical System (TOS), and the Maui Space Surveillance Complex (MSSC). The focal point for all optical command and control was centralized at the Optical Command, Control and Communications Facility (OC3F). The 18 SPSS became part of the
1st Space Wing The 1st Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force active from 1983 to 1992 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado as part of Air Force Space Command. The Wing was constituted on 18 Oct 1982 and activated on 1 January 1983 with assignm ...
, Air Force Space Command, on 1 February 1990. The unit was reassigned from the
1st Space Wing The 1st Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force active from 1983 to 1992 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado as part of Air Force Space Command. The Wing was constituted on 18 Oct 1982 and activated on 1 January 1983 with assignm ...
to the
73d Space Group Mission Delta 3 (MD3) is a United States Space Force unit responsible for presenting operational combat-ready electromagnetic warfare forces in support of assigned missions. It is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base. Activated on 24 J ...
on 15 May 1992. The 18th SPSS relocated to
Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, California, Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County and a souther ...
, California in July 1995. The
73rd Space Group __NOTOC__ AD 73 ( LXXIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Domitian and Messalinus (or, less frequently, year 826 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination AD ...
was inactivated in May 1995 and all units were then assigned to the
21st Space Wing The 21st Wing (21 WG) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1953 as the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to Europe to join NATO's Allied Command Europe, before being inactivated in 1958. It reactivated i ...
. With a force-wide renaming of space units, the 18th SPSS became the 18th Space Control Squadron (18 SPCS) in February 2003. This renaming did not last long, however, since the unit was inactivated in June 2004, with all detachments falling under the
21st Operations Group Mission Delta 2 (MD2) is the United States Space Force's space domain awareness Space Delta, delta, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. Mission Delta 2 tracks and monitors all human made objects from low Earth orbit to geosync ...
. From 2004 to 2016, the space surveillance mission was executed by other
USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
organizations located at
Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station (CMSFS) is located in Cheyenne Mountain on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado, next to Colorado Springs, The Cheyenne Mountain Complex, an underground facili ...
in Colorado, and within the
Combined Space Operations Center The Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) is a U.S.–led multinational space operations center that provides command and control of space forces for the United States Space Command under the United States Space Force component field command ...
in California. On 22 July 2016, the 18th Space Control Squadron was reactivated at
Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg may refer to: * Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name * USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in Key West, Florida * Vandenberg S ...
. The squadron had a mission focused on space situational awareness in support of launches, object and debris tracking, and human spaceflight. On 13 April 2022, the 18th Space Control Squadron was redesignated as the 18th Space Defense Squadron. The change was to signify the squadron's focus on the increasingly congested and contested space domain and their critical role in providing data and information to ensure the safety, security, and sustainability of the space environment.


List of commanders

*Lt Col T. Simpson *Lt Col Scott G. Putnam, 22 July 2016 – July 2017 *Lt Col Mia Walsh, July 2017 – 18 June 2019 *Lt Col Justin Sorice, 18 June 2019 – ~June 2021 *Lt Col Matthew J. Lintker, June 2021 – 21 June 2023 *Lt Col Jordan O.E. Mugg, 21 June 2023 – present


Assignments


Combatant Command

*
United States Space Command United States Space Command (USSPACECOM or SPACECOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations 100 kilometers (62 miles) and greater ...
(29 August 2019 – present)


Field Command

*
Space Operations Command Space Operations Command (SpOC) is the United States Space Force's space warfare, space operations, cyber warfare, cyber operations, and military intelligence, intelligence field command. Headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado ...
(21 October 2020 – present)


Delta

*
Space Delta 2 Mission Delta 2 (MD2) is the United States Space Force's space domain awareness delta, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. Mission Delta 2 tracks and monitors all human made objects from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit ...
(24 July 2022 – present)


Major Command

*
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
(later Aerospace Defense Command), 1 November 1966-1 October 1975 *
Air Force Space Command An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...
(1 February 1990 – 2004)


Numbered Air Force

* Fourteenth Aerospace Force (later
Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
, 1 February 1990 – 2004


Wing/Group

* 73d Space Group (1 July 1991 – 2004) *
21st Space Wing The 21st Wing (21 WG) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1953 as the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to Europe to join NATO's Allied Command Europe, before being inactivated in 1958. It reactivated i ...
*
21st Operations Group Mission Delta 2 (MD2) is the United States Space Force's space domain awareness Space Delta, delta, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. Mission Delta 2 tracks and monitors all human made objects from low Earth orbit to geosync ...


Detachments

* 18 SPCS, Detachment 1 –
Dahlgren, Virginia Dahlgren is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,946 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 2,653 at the 2010 census, and up from 997 in 2000. Histor ...
* 18 SPSS, Detachment 1 – Socorro, New Mexico * 18 SPSS, Detachment 2 –
Diego Garcia Diego Garcia is the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago. It has been used as a joint UK–U.S. military base since the 1970s, following the expulsion of the Chagossians by the UK government. The Chagos Islands are set to become a former B ...
, British Indian Ocean Territories * 18 SPSS, Detachment 3 –
Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
, Hawaii * 18 SPSS, Detachment 4 –
Morón Air Base Morón Air Base is located at in southern Spain, approximately southeast of the city of Seville. The base gets its name from the nearby town of Morón de la Frontera, while it is located inside the municipality of Arahal. The base is shared ...
, Spain June 1997 – June 2004


Lineage

* Constituted as the 18th Surveillance Squadron and activated on 1 November 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 1 January 1967 : Inactivated on 1 October 1975 : Activated on 1 February 1990 * Redesignated 18th Space Surveillance Squadron on 15 May 1992 * Redesignated 18th Space Control Squadron on 1 March 2003 : Inactivated on 1 July 2004 : Activated on 22 July 2016


Stations

* Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1 January 1967 – 1 October 1975 *
Peterson Air Force Base Peterson Space Force Base, previously Peterson Air Force Base, Peterson Field, and Army Air Base, Colorado Springs, is a United States Space Force base that shares an airfield with the adjacent Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and is home t ...
, Colorado, 1 February 1990 – 1 November 1994 * Edwards AFB, California, 1 November 1994 – 1 July 2004 * Vandenberg Air Force Base (later Vandenberg Space Force Base), California, 22 July 2016 – present


Equipment Operated

* Ground-based Electro Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (February 1990 – 2004) *Baker-Nunn satellite tracking cameras (January 1967-October 1975)


Decorations

*
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...
Air Force Personnel Center Awards Search (Post-1991)
** 8 July 1970 – 7 July 1971 ** Feb 199031 Aug 1991 **18 October 1995 – 30 September 1997 **1 October 1997 – 30 September 1999 **1 January 1998 – 31 December 1998 **1 January 1999 – 31 December 1999 **1 January 2000 – 31 August 2001


References


Notes

; Explanatory Notes ; Citations


Bibliography


External links

{{USAF Space Command Squadrons of the United States Space Force Military units and formations in California