Space Systems Command

Space Systems Command
Unit name	Space Systems Command
Caption	Emblem of Space Systems Command
Dates	2021–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Space Force
Type	Field command
Role	Acquisition, launch, and sustainment of space systems
Size	~15,000 personnel
Command structure	United States Space Force
Garrison	Los Angeles Air Force Base
Current commander	Lieutenant General Philip A. Garrant
Notable commanders	Michael A. Guetlein

Space Systems Command. It is a field command of the United States Space Force responsible for developing, acquiring, launching, and sustaining military space systems. Established in 2021, it consolidates the legacy space acquisition missions of the United States Air Force and serves as the service's primary organization for delivering resilient space domain awareness and communications capabilities. The command is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California and plays a critical role in maintaining national security advantages in the space domain.

History

The command's lineage traces back to the Space and Missile Systems Center, a historic organization within the Air Force Materiel Command. Its establishment was a key recommendation of the Space Force's organizational planning, following the creation of the new service branch by the United States Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The activation ceremony on August 13, 2021, was presided over by Chief of Space Operations General John W. Raymond, formally merging the Space and Missile Systems Center with other elements like the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. This reorganization aimed to streamline the acquisition process for critical systems like the Global Positioning System and next-generation missile warning satellites, responding to growing threats from competitors like China and the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Organization

The command is structured around several specialized program executive offices and directorates. Key components include the Assured Access to Space directorate, which manages launch services, and program offices dedicated to specific capabilities like Space Domain Awareness and Battle Management Command, Control, and Communications. It also oversees the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, which accelerates the delivery of urgent space warfare capabilities. The command integrates personnel from the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and civil service alongside Space Force guardians, and maintains close partnerships with agencies like the National Reconnaissance Office, the Missile Defense Agency, and United States Space Command.

Mission and responsibilities

Its primary mission is to rapidly deliver resilient and sustainable space capabilities to the joint force and the nation. Core responsibilities encompass the entire lifecycle of space systems, from research and development through testing, launch, on-orbit checkout, and sustainment. This includes acquiring and modernizing satellite constellations for nuclear command and control, protected communications, and environmental monitoring. The command also provides launch service support for Department of Defense missions from both the Eastern Range at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Western Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base, ensuring reliable access to orbit.

Major programs and systems

The command manages a vast portfolio of critical national security space programs. This includes the next-generation GPS Block III satellites, the Space Based Infrared System for missile warning, and the Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications constellation. It is also developing new systems like the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites and the Protected Tactical Satcom program. Other significant efforts involve the National Security Space Launch program, which contracts with companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, and the development of tactically responsive space capabilities through experiments like Tactically Responsive Launch-2.

Leadership

The commander is typically a lieutenant general in the United States Space Force. The inaugural commander was Michael A. Guetlein, who served from its activation until 2023. The current commander, as of 2024, is Lieutenant General Philip A. Garrant. The command's senior enlisted leader is a chief master sergeant, providing enlisted perspective and leadership to the guardian workforce. The commander reports directly to the Chief of Space Operations at the Pentagon.

Installations and units

Its headquarters is located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California. Key subordinate units and operating locations are spread across the United States, including Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, and Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. Critical launch operations are conducted from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The command also maintains a presence at the Space and Missile Systems Center's former development laboratories and testing facilities.

Category:United States Space Force Category:Military units and formations established in 2021 Category:Military in Los Angeles County, California