The 1st Space Operations Squadron (1 SOPS) is a United States Space Force unit responsible for space-based space domain awareness. Located at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, the squadron operates the Space Based Space Surveillance system, the Advanced Technology Risk Reduction system, the Operationally Responsive Space-5 satellite, and the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program.
It was first activated in 1961 as the 1st Aerospace Surveillance and Control Squadron as the SPACETRACK component of NORAD's Space Detection and Tracking System. It was the operational version of Project Space Track. It continued this mission as the 1st Aerospace Control Squadron until inactivation in 1976. It depends on Space Delta 9 when this unit is created on 24 July 2020.
Mission The squadron conducts command and control for four distinct constellations: Defense Support Program (DSP), Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) and a NASA research and development program, in low earth to deep space orbits, and is Air Force Space Command's only multi-mission Satellite Operations Control Center. 1 SOPS is supported by the Air Force Reserves unit, the 7th Space Operations Squadron.
The squadron operates and maintains 24-hour Air Force Satellite Control Network command and control capability for Defense Support Program and Midcourse Space Experiment constellations. It also operates and maintains a research and development space system providing vital space weather data worldwide.
The 1st Squadron performs launch and early-orbit operations for GPS and DSP systems including satellite activation, initial checkout and transfer to mission orbit. It plans and executes tracking, telemetry and command functions for GPS, DSP, MXS and a NASA research and development satellite to maintain spacecraft state-of-health, sustain on-orbit operations and accomplish mission taskings. They respond to all satellite emergencies, and support end-of-life testing and disposal operations for GPS, DSP and MSX and NASA research and development spacecraft as required.
The squadron maintains DSP spacecraft positional knowledge and distributes data to worldwide users. It also conducts MSX and NASA research and development training and evaluation.
The Multi-Mission Space Operations Center (MMSOC) is a revolutionary approach to space operations—an operations center focused on forging a one-of-a-kind operations/acquisition team to demonstrate and field emerging space missions and satellite C2 technologies in a rapid, decisive manner. The MMSOC is structured to operate a variety of satellite missions, including satellite initiatives without a program office, satellite missions of small scale (small constellations), new missions transitioning from concept toward full-scale operations, and all research, development, test and evaluation satellites with operational utility remaining after test and evaluation are complete.
Mission control crew shifts conduct 24-hour operations supporting the three major functions of satellite control; telemetry, tracking and commanding. Orbital analysts and program engineers provide program specific knowledge and support to the crews. The operators perform pre-contact planning, real time contact and post-contact evaluation. The squadron conducts more than 2,000 contacts a month.
History Space Track
The squadron was originally organized on 14 February 1961, as the 1st Aerospace Surveillance and Control Squadron, a unit of Air Defense CommandAF Space Command History Office Memorandum, "1st Aerospace Control Squadron". Ent Air Force Base, CO, 30 October 2006 and became operational on 1 July 1961Miller, Robert, Signed draft AF Form 77a, Ent AFB, CO, 31 August 1961 as the SPACETRACKHeadquarters USAF. The History of Air Defense Command, Jan – Jun 1964. Showing the official usage as all caps SPACETRACK. Washington DC: 1965? component of NORAD Space Detection and Tracking System (SPADATS). It was the operational version of research and development Project Space Track. Effective 1 October 1961, the Squadron was assigned to the 9th Aerospace Defense Division, which had been activated on 15 July 1961.Headquarters Air Defense Command Special Orders G-69, 19 July 1961 The squadron name changed to 1st Aerospace Control Squadron on 1 July 1962.
Until April 1966, when operations were moved to the NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex, The squadron was located on the bottom two floors of Ent Air Force Base building P4 Annex, a former hospital building, adjacent to the NORAD command center.1961–1969 Historical reports from the squadron on file at the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB AL, AFHRA Microfilm reel KO363
The squadron was responsible for tracking all artificial earth satellites, space probes, carrier rockets, and debris, US and foreign. The mission included detecting additional objects previously unknown and maintaining a complete catalogue. It controlled a global network of ground sensors. It was the operational version of research and development Project Space Track and the Space Track component of NORAD's Space Detection and Tracking System
Sensors
The squadron had essentially the same set of sensors used by Project Space Track, with the addition of two additional Baker-Nunn cameras, one of which was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force at RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. In March 1961, the Laredo Air Force Base sensor was transferred from Air Research and Development Command to Air Defense Command. It was operated by Detachment 1 of the squadron.Air Defense Command. Historical Record of the 1st Aerospace Surveillance and Control Squadron for the period ending 30 June 1961. Ent Air Force Base, CO, 1961] In January 1968, the System 440L over-the-horizon radar reached initial operational capability. In 1968, SPACETRACK was also supported by the Royal Radar Establishment at Great Malvern, England. By mid-1969, three USAF Baker-Nunn cameras were operated in support of SPACETRACK under the 18th Surveillance Squadron, despite questions about their on-going utility in view of increasing radar tracking accuracies.1969 Historical reports from the squadron and its detachments on file at the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB AL, AFHRA Microfilm reels KO363 and KO364 An AN/FPS-85 phased array radar became operational at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in May 1970.
Orbital computations The squadron initially made orbital predictions by computing ephemerides based on standard Kepler orbits. As a satellite got lower into the atmosphere, drag made it difficult to forecast the ephemeris of the satellite accurately.Cotter, Lawrence R.. Reminiscences About Space Track History. Privately published. Berkeley CA, 20 November 2006. By 1962, the situation was somewhat better. The Soviet satellite Sputnik 4 was slowly entering lower orbits because of atmospheric drag. Using a new program, (Satellite General Perturbations Differential Corrections) and observations from the radar at Shemya Air Force Station, the orbital analyst plotted the changing orbital period and was able to predict the exact revolution on which the satellite reentered the atmosphere. To make progress in automating ephemeris forecasts, Aeronutronic and TRW Inc. developed sophisticated new programs. Squadron orbital analysts evaluated the two programs. The Aeronutronic submission was named Spiral Decay and the TRW submission, Electronic Systems Precision Orbit Determination (ESPOD). ESPOD had been developed for Program 437, an anti-satellite program, to enable computation of trajectories for satellite intercept.
As a demonstration of the effectiveness of Spiral Decay, the program was used to forecast the reentry of Soviet Kosmos 23. Public media had been alerted to the impending decay and many people in Canada saw the fiery reentry. One racetrack even dimmed the lights to enhance the show. Spiral Decay was considered a more sophisticated program than ESPOD and used less computer time to attain more accurate results. It was selected as the standard for analysis, significantly helping predict future decay trajectories. It was also adopted as the primary computer capability for weapon engagement and was useful in more precisely locating sensors, such at the radar at Dyarbakir Air Station, Turkey.Walters, Dr. Louis G.. Historical Perspective, Ford/Philco/Loral Aerospace Astrodynamics Role in Space Command Evolution. Zephyr Cove NV: 15 August 1993 in Mansfield, Roger L. et al.(q.v.)
On 1 March 1965, the rocket body of Kosmos 61 exploded between revolutions 1 and 2, giving 1st Aero another challenge to catalog the many fragments. Because the orbital period was 106 minutes, the fragments would not decay quickly. Two computer programs, SPACESWEEP and ALTEC, aided automation of the task but, when Cosmos 200 broke up on 23 January 1968, the breakup created severe problems for the Space Defense Center because of the amount of manual work needed. Also in March 1965, the Special Projects Division was supporting evaluation of the upgraded Shemya radar and the associated computer, in a project nicknamed Blue Fox. Blue Fox used both Spiral Decay and ESPOD to determine the accuracy of the new Shemya system, tracking satellites Transit 2A and ANNA 1B, a Navy geodetic satellite. The Blue Fox results, showing radar range biases of 129 meters or less, proved that the Shemya AN/FPS-80M was now the most accurate tracking radar in the system.
Orbital elements computed by the squadron, along with those computed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, were included in the Satellite Situation Reports regularly published by the Goddard Center.Schwartz, Daniel O.. E-mail communications. [Highlands Ranch CO]: 8 November 2010)
Operations In April 1961 a Philco 2000 computer was installed for dedicated squadron use. It was considered the fastest computer in the world at the time of installation.Philco Western Region Public Relations Office. "'Asynchronous' Design Concept Permits Heretofore Unobtained Computer Speeds." Philco News Release (S-6). Palo Alto, CA, 7 July 1961 It still used IBM punched cards for data entry and was infamous for devouring the cards. The computer was programmed using Fortran for batch processing and the TAC assembly language for other work.Mansfield, Roger L.. NOTES ON NORAD'S DELTA SYSTEM, THE SCC, AND SPADOC. [Colorado Springs CO]: 5 November 2010 However, Orbital Analysts still had Friden Square Root Calculators on their desks, a necessary tool.
Project Space Track at Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts was the backup facility for squadron operations. About 49 hours before the 1st Squadron became operational, the Navy's Transit 4A carrier rocket exploded. Orbital analysts at the 1st and at Hanscom achieved a landmark in satellite tracking by identifying 296 of the fragments. On 5 June 1962, the relationship with Hanscom was formalized when several squadron officers activates the Space Track Center Alternate Facility at Hanscom. From 25 March to 6 April 1962, squadron orbital computations were transferred to Project Space Track while the Ent computer was being modified.
In mid-1962, the NORAD Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence expressed appreciation for the information and technical assistance the squadron provided in support of NORAD analysis of the Soviet Vostok 3 and Vostok 4 operations.Hull, Harris B.. Headquarters North American Air Defense Command. Letter of Appreciation to Commander, USAF Air Defense Command. Ent AFB CO: 29 August 1962