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5th Space Operations Squadron

Unit of the United States Air Force

Field	Value
unit_name	5th Space Operations Squadron
image	5th Space Operations Squadron 2026.png
image_size	200px
caption	Emblem of the 5th Space Operations Squadron
dates	1989–1992; 1993–2000; 2024–present
country
branch
role	Technology demonstration
command_structure	Space Delta 9
current_commander	Lt Col Latasha L. Spear
garrison	Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling, Washington D.C.
garrison_label	Headquarters
motto	Scanning the Globe (1989–1994) Pioneers of Space (1994–present)
decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
<!-- Insignia -->	identification_symbol	[[File:5th Space Operations Squadron.png	165px]]
identification_symbol_label	5th Space Operations Squadron emblem (approved 9 December 1994)
identification_symbol_2	[[File:5 Satellite Control Sq emblem.png	165px]]
identification_symbol_2_label	5th Satellite Control Squadron emblem (approved 25 August 1989)

The 5th Space Operations Squadron (5 SOPS) is a United States Space Force unit responsible for operating the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. It is located at Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling, District of Columbia.

History

The 5th Expeditionary Space Operations Squadron (ESOPS), originally part of the Air Force Satellite Control Facility, was provisionally established as Operating Location-A of the 750th Space Group on 1 October 1992. It was officially activated on 22 November 1993 under the 50th Operations Group. The formation followed the division of the Air Force Satellite Control Facility into the 2nd Space Test Group and the Consolidated Space Test Center (CSTC) on 1 October 1987, coinciding with the Air Force Space Command's acquisition of Onizuka Air Force Base (later Onizuka Air Station).

In the year it was established, the 5th ESOPS assumed the responsibilities of the 2nd Satellite Tracking Group Operations Division and the 1999th Communications Squadron Operations Division. Following the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Committee's directives, the 21st Space Operations Squadron (SOS) assumed the functions of the 750th Space Group, its subordinate units, and the 5th Space Operations Squadron.

Shortly after its establishment, the squadron undertook a number of operations, including the launch of a DSCS III and a NATO IV communications satellite, support for the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission, and the deployment of the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) for NASA missions. These missions encompassed the launch of all seven Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) and three interplanetary spacecraft: Galileo to Jupiter, Magellan to Venus, and Ulysses to the Sun.

The 5th ESOPS was deactivated in 2000. On 3 June 2024, the unit was reactivated as part of Space Delta 9 under the United States Space Force to oversee operations of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle.

Lineage

Constituted as the 5th Satellite Control Squadron on 11 April 1989
Activated on 1 May 1989
Redesignated as the 5th Space Operations Squadron on 30 January 1992
Inactivated on 31 July 1992
Activated on 22 November 1993
Inactivated on 13 June 2000
Redesignated as the 5th Expeditionary Space Operations Squadron and converted to provisional status on 5 December 2007
Redesignated as the 5th Space Operations Squadron and activated on 3 June 2024

Assignments

1000th Satellite Operations Group, 1 May 1989 – 31 July 1992
50th Operations Group, 22 November 1993 – 13 June 2000
Air Force Space Command to activate or inactivate at any time after 5 December 2007
Space Delta 9, 3 June 2024 – present

Locations

Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 1 May 1989 – 31 July 1992
Onizuka Air Force Station, California, 22 November 1993 – 13 June 2000
Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling, Washington D.C., 3 June 2024 – present

Satellites operated

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (1989–1992)
Defense Satellite Communications System III (1993–1995)
NATO III (1993–1995)
SkyNet IV (1993–1995)
Inertial Upper Stage (1993–1995)
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (2024–present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

References

Endicott, p. 364
(February 26, 2008). "Factsheet 5 Expeditionary Space Operations Squadron (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Rose, Danielle. (6 June 2024). "5th SOPS activates, bolsters Space Delta 9 objectives". [[United States Space Force]].
[https://web.archive.org/web/20010305204741/http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-18/au18004b.htm Force Enhancement - Air University]

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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