Space Operations Command

Thanks to our entire SpOC family for all they do, including Guardians, Airmen, members of our civilian workforce, our Allied partners and everyone else who works together to provide combat-ready space forces for America. And a special shout-out to all those who are working today, whether they're working shifts on operations floors, securing our bases, or doing any of the jobs that must continue every day of the year to ensure mission success! You are appreciated! #USSpaceForce #SemperSupra #BuildOnAndBuildOut #ViaVincimus #USSF5

Space Heritage – August 30, 1983 – United States Air Force Col. Guion S. Bluford, Jr. Did you know that Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford became the first African American to fly in space? From Aug. 30 – Sept. 5, 1983, Bluford served as a mission specialist for STS-8 on the Space Shuttle Challenger. The mission deployed the multipurpose Indian National Satellite (INSAT-1B) into geostationary orbit. This was also the first shuttle mission to launch and land at night. Upon graduation from Pennsylvania State University with an aerospace engineering degree and as an Air Force ROTC graduate in 1964, Bluford received pilot wings at Williams AFB, Ariz. in 1966. He received F-4C crew training and deployed to Vietnam where he flew 144 combat missions, 65 of which were over North Vietnam. After returning to the U.S., Bluford served as a T-38A instructor pilot from 1967 – 1971 before being selected to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He would go on to earn a master’s degree and doctorate in aerospace engineering with a minor in laser physics. In January 1978 he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut. In addition to STS-8, Col. Bluford also served as a mission specialist on STS-61A in 1985, STS-39 in 1991, and STS-53 in 1992. STS-8 was the third flight for Challenger and the eight space shuttle mission. Guion Bluford retired from the NASA and the Air Force in July 1993. He had flown more than 5,200 hours in seven different types of aircraft, flew 144 combat missions in Vietnam and logged more than 688 hours in space. He worked for several aerospace companies including Northup Grumman Corporation in the private sector before retiring again in 2002. After 27 years of service to our nation, Col. Guion Bluford Jr. represents the best and brightest that our country has to offer. Reflecting on his time in the Space Shuttle program Bluford stated, “I wanted to set the standard, do the best job possible so that other people would be comfortable with African Americans flying in space and African Americans would be proud of being participants in the space program and … encourage others to do the same.”

When Semper Fidelis & Semper Supra come together. United States Space Force Force Chief Master Sgt. Rozneck of Headquarters, Space Operations Command welcomes United States Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Castro. Castro, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Information, received a SpOC mission brief and visited various USSF units in the area, seeing first-hand the capabilities Guardians bring to the fight, and how Guardians' efforts in the space domain make Marines more effective in the air, sea and land domains. #USSpaceForce #SemperSupra #BuildOnAndBuildOut #ViaVincimus #USSF5 #usmc #marines #semperfi

United States Space Force Col. Travis R. Prater took command of Space Delta 6 - Space Access and Cyberspace Operations during a change of command ceremony at Peterson SFB. "To the warriors of Delta 6, our nation needs you now more than ever. Victory is the only acceptable outcome. As such, we must aggressively rise to this challenge. Be bold in our approach to seize the opportunities and execute at the highest standards. I’m honored to serve alongside you as your commander. Together we will build a warrior culture to tackle challenges head on.” - Col. Travis R. Prater, DEL 6 commander Read the full story: https://ow.ly/oSmh50T7Bcg #USSpaceForce #SemperSupra #BuildOnAndBuildOut #ViaVincimus #USSF5

This #womensequalityday, we salute all the trailblazing women who made us who we are, and all the women who provide combat-ready space power today. 🫡 Pictured are: U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Callie Wolfenbarger, Royal Canadian Air Force Master Cpl. Kelly Bacon, Spc. 3 Leona Claus and U.S. Space Force Capt. Colleen O'Hara, who all serve with the 6th Space Warning Squadron (6 SWS), Space Delta 4, at Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts. United States Space Force #USSF5 #SemperSupra #ViaVincimus

The Guardian Spirit on the march... A team of United States Space Force Guardians from Space Delta 8, augmented by a group of US Army Soldiers, recently completed a four-day, 100-mile walk across the Netherlands, marking the first time a Space Force team has participated in "De Vierdaagse," the world's largest multi-day marching event. The group overcame many challenges along the journey, introducing the Space Force and its mission to over 47K civilians and military participants from 70 countries. You can read more about their adventure here: https://ow.ly/o4nk50T4xon #USSF5 #SemperSupra #ViaVincimus

The United States Space Force offers incredible opportunities for servicemembers, including unparalleled opportunities to learn, grow, and lead while seeing the world. We asked a few Guardians why they choose to serve … #WhyIServe #USSF5 #SemperSupra #ViaVincimus United States Department of Defense U.S. Space Command

Those who have ever served in or worked with the U.S. military have quickly learned that the noncommissioned officer corps is the backbone of the armed forces. These stripe-bearing men and women bring competence, professional character and lead the charge in day-to-day operations. United States Space Force Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gB32Wyaz #USSF5 #SemperSupra #ViaVincimus #YoNCO

When it comes to Space Force and SpOC operations, the threat must always be at the forefront of conversations and decisions,” said U.S. Space Force Chief Master Sgt Caleb Lloyd, Space Operations Command senior enlisted leader, at the recent Air Force Sergeants Association Summit. Under the Space Force Generation Model (SPAFORGEN) “we are moving towards a fully integrated approach where space forces play a decisive role in joint and all-domain operations. Our objective is to establish and maintain control over the space domain, ensuring we maintain our strategic advantages and space superiority.” For more on this topic, click here https://ow.ly/AmS150SZSHT United States Space Force

#SpaceHeritage | August 11, 1960 | First Successful Recovery of an Object from Earth’s Orbit Did you know that the United States successfully recovered the first object from Earth’s orbit on August 11, 1960? A reentry capsule ejected by the Discoverer 13 satellite was recovered from the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii by a helicopter and divers from the U.S. Navy ship Haiti Victory. The Discoverer 13 satellite had been successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. by a Thor-Agena A booster the day before into near-polar orbit. This mission was part of the Cold War-era Discoverer Program that aimed to develop a photo reconnaissance satellite that could return film to Earth. The program was a cover name for the highly classified U.S. Air Force/Central Intelligence Agency CORONA project. The original intent of the mission was for an aircraft to recover the capsule as it descended attached to a parachute but failed to capture the capsule as planned. After 17 orbits, a command was sent to the spacecraft from a ground station on Kodiak Island in Alaska to start the recovery sequence. The Discoverer 13 capsule contained no film, only instrumentation and an American flag. The flag was given to President Dwight D. Eisenhower at a White House ceremony four days later. The successful recovery of the Discoverer 13 capsule led to the start of the U.S. space reconnaissance program that provided key information about the military capabilities of the Soviet Union.