9th Space Operations Squadron

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9th Space Operations Squadron

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9th Space Operations Squadron
9th Space Operations Squadron.png
9th Space Operations Squadron emblem
Active 19??-Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Part of 310th Space Wing
Garrison/HQ Vandenberg AFB, California
Motto SEMPER SUMMATUM — Always the Highest

The United States Air Force's 9th Space Operations Squadron (9 SOPS) is a space operations unit located at Vandenberg AFB, California. 9 SOPS operates the Joint Space Operations Center, or JSpOC, performing combat operations, plans, strategy and intelligence assessments enabling the commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space to command and control space forces by providing worldwide space effects to combatant commanders.

Contents

Mission

9th SOPS is an associate unit to the 614th Air and Space Operations Center, and augment the active duty in day-to-day operations of the 14th Air Force. The AOC is a 24-hour operation center designed to provide commanders with up-to-date information on the status of Air Force satellites. The satellites provide weather, intelligence, communication and navigational data necessary for strategic planning of U.S. military operations.[1]

History

The AOC provides the means for tracking and monitoring the status of 141 space units worldwide, said Lt. Col. Patrick Phelps, 9th SOPS commander. These units provide the data for surveillance, space warning, satellite command and control, and space launch capabilities.

"We don't operate any particular systems; it's our job to monitor, direct and integrate the systems that are already there," said Phelps.

"Reservists provide a strong foundation of knowledge and experience to the mission," said Ansted. "There's continuous rollover on active duty, and our personnel provide stability because they're usually there for six years. They retain corporate knowledge of the systems and pass that along to their active-duty counterparts when they arrive."

At the 9th SOPS activation ceremony, Maj. Gen. Robert Hinson, 14th Air Force commander at Vandenberg, said reliance on the Reserve and Air National Guard has increased since the end of the Cold War.

"Our ability to ... maintain our nation's superiority in space is dependent upon them (Guard and Reserve) as critical contributors to part of a cohesive total force," said Hinson. (Courtesy of Air Force Reserve Command News Service)

Previous designations[2]

  • 9th Space Operations Squadron (1999-Present)

Bases stationed

Systems Operated[3]

References

  1. ^ FAS.org: "Reserve activates two new space units"
  2. ^ Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0
  3. ^ World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3

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