Air Force Space Command to discontinue space surveillance system

Blog Editor Note: The Space Fence that has been in operation since 1961 and transmitting around 440 MHz is the latest casualty of the DoD Sequestration cuts.

Related article at http://mostlymissiledefense.com/2013/02/25/sequestration-and-u-s-missile-defensespace-surveillance-radars-february-25-2013/

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Due to resource constraints caused by sequestration, Air Force Space Command officials have directed the 21st Space Wing to prepare to discontinue operations at the Air Force Space Surveillance System by Oct. 1. Final decisions on all fiscal 2014 budget issues will be made over the next few weeks. 

By discontinuing operations, the AFSSS would not be maintained in operational status; however, equipment will not be removed until a final disposition determination is made. 

The AFSSS sites are operated under contract and the 21st SW has notified the vendor, Five Rivers Services in Colorado Springs, Colo., that it most likely will not exercise the next contract option beginning Oct. 1.  By de-activating the AFSSS by Oct. 1, AFSPC would see a cost savings of approximately $14 million per year, beginning in fiscal 2014.

AFSPC officials have devised modified operating modes for the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System at Cavalier Air Force Station, N.D., and for the space surveillance Radar at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., which allows the discontinuation of AFSSS operations while still maintaining solid space situational awareness.  

The AFSSS is a series of three transmitters and six receivers along the 33rd parallel stretching across the southern United States. The three transmitter sites are located at Jordan Lake, Ala.; Lake Kickapoo, Texas; and Gila River, Ariz. The six receivers are located at Tattnall, Ga.; Hawkinsville, Ga.; Silver Lake, Miss.; Red River, Ark.; Elephant Butte, N.M.; and San Diego, Calif. The two receiver sites at Tattnall and Silver Lake were deactivated in April of this year.

The AFSSS, which has been operational since 1961, is just one part of AFSPC’s global Space Surveillance Network. The system is designed to transmit a “fence” of radar energy vertically into space to detect all objects intersecting that fence. The operational advantage of the AFSSS is its ability to detect objects in an un-cued fashion, rather than tracking objects based on previous information.  The disadvantage is the inherent inaccuracy of the data, based on its dated design. The new operating modes at Cavalier AFS and Eglin AFB will provide more accuracy than the AFSSS and still collect un-cued observations.

The AFSSS is typically referred to as the “space fence,” which has caused confusion with the new space fence being developed for the future. 

 “The AFSSS is much less capable than the space fence radar planned for Kwajalein Island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands,” said General William L. Shelton, the commander of Air Force Space Command.  “In fact, it’s apples and oranges in trying to compare the two systems.” 

Unlike the AFSSS, the new space fence will provide very precise positional data on orbiting objects and will be the most accurate radar in the Space Surveillance Network. It will provide enhanced space surveillance capabilities to detect and track orbiting objects such as commercial and military satellites, depleted space boosters and space debris.

The new space fence will have much greater sensitivity, allowing it to detect, track and measure an object the size of a softball orbiting more than 1,200 miles in space. Because it is also an un-cued tracking system, it will provide evidence of satellite break-ups, collisions, or unexpected maneuvers of satellites. 

“When combined with the new Joint Space Operations Center’s high-performance computing environment, the new fence will truly represent a quantum leap forward in space situational awareness for the nation,” Shelton said.

Space operations units assume control of new GPS satellite

by Staff Sgt. Don Branum, 50th Space Wing Public Affairs

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- The 2nd and 19th Space Operations Squadrons here assumed control of the Air Force's newest GPS satellite shortly after its launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., March 24.

The satellite, named GPS IIR-20(M), is the 34th satellite in the GPS constellation, which provides precise navigation and timing data to military and civilian customers around the world.

Space operators with 2nd SOPS and 19th SOPS took over early-orbit operations for the new satellite 68 minutes after launch, said Lt. Col. Douglas Schiess, 2nd SOPS operations officer.

"We're getting it ready to provide its combat effects to warfighters as soon as possible," Colonel Schiess said. "It's a great team effort by 2nd SOPS and 19th SOPS."

GPS IIR-M satellites provide combat capability for military applications such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions and handheld, vehicle-based and aircraft navigation aids. Civilian applications include ATMs, bank and stock market transactions and power grid management. Currently, 31 of the 34 GPS satellites in orbit transmit navigation and timing signals to users.

A Delta II launch vehicle carried GPS IIR-20(M) into low-Earth orbit. From there, a booster will lift the satellite into its operational orbit approximately 12,500 miles above the Earth.

The launch was delayed from June 2008 due to a fault in the 40-second timer that triggers separation of the third-stage booster from the satellite. Air Force and contractor engineers resolved the problems, said Lt. Col. John Wagner, mission director for the Launch and Range Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.
The IIR-M spacecraft includes several upgrades from the earlier Block IIR model. A modernized antenna panel provides a stronger signal that is more resistant to GPS jamming and stronger encryption for military signals. It also includes two military signals and one civil signal beyond those transmitted by earlier GPS satellites.

Other Air Force Space Command agencies that supported the launch include the 22nd Space Operations Squadron here, the 45th Space Wing at Patrick AFB, Fla., and the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB. Contractor partners included United Launch Alliance, the Aerospace Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Space Command striving for improved field communications

by Tech. Sgt. Kurt Arkenberg, 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
This illustration shows how the Combat Airborne Network could improve communication and situational awareness between the security forces on the ground and the missile alert facility by eliminating dead spots in the field and limiting signal degradation by establishing a wireless mesh network.

F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo. -- Members of Air Force Space Command's Space Innovation and Development Center were on hand in Warren's Quebec flight area recently but they weren't looking to the area's Peacekeeper past; they were demonstrating the future.

"We're here to continue demonstrations of the Combat Airborne Network," said Maj. Jeffrey Zornes, U.S. Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities, Commercial Integration Division deputy chief. "We're hoping to gather range and signal quality data to further this platform's opportunities in any [area of responsibility]."

Development and initial operational checks were conducted in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Chandler, Ariz., but when it came to "kick the tires and light the fires," Warren got the nod to host the demonstration for many good reasons.

"Warren's missile fields seemed ideal for the second round of demonstrations," said Maj. Zornes. "The landscape, weather patterns and sparse population help in the data gathering of quality information and provide a quiet environment for the demonstration."

The areas' sparse population allows for more control of another demonstration variable -- interference from wireless communications signals. As anyone who's driven throughout Warren's missile complex knows, there are few cell phone relay antennas and plenty of dead spots with no wireless coverage.

The system, which uses one or more high-altitude balloons, effectively becomes the communications link for ground forces and a command and control tool for strategists away from the front line.

"We are excited to host a demonstration that highlights security forces applications in Warren's missile field," said 1st Lt. Andrew Pisut, 90th Communications Squadron. "During a mock SF response, this airborne wireless network will allow for greater command and control information to pass between the response team and the missile alert facility."

In addition to voice and data, the SIDC hopes to demonstrate streaming video and platform survivability capabilities.

"The more applications and abilities we can demonstrate with this system, the more beneficial it will be to those warfighters on the ground around the world," said Major Zornes. "With multiple balloons we can create a wireless mesh network that will automatically reroute the information to the clearest path, limiting degradation of the system due to jamming or destruction of a platform by the enemy."

As Major Zornes and others involved with the program proceeded through the development of the CAN, they continued to look for applications in every aspect of operations. For Warren, they see increased situational awareness during convoy or security forces response operations, the elimination of communication "dead spots" and potentially a deployable emergency wireless network throughout the complex.

The demonstration here should give the SIDC more concrete data on the system's abilities, and a better picture of the range and quality of the signal sent. With that information, they can continue to improve the system and grow its operational uses across the services.

"This demonstration will go a long way to solidify the system," said Major Zornes. "And its success here is a great example of the Air Force's 'total force' concept working toward improving operations for all branches of service.

"It takes all components of the Air Force to run a demonstration like thi, he said." Active duty, Guard, Reserve and Department of Defense civilians have all come together to work this project."