Space

Schriever AFB, Colorado

Schriever Air Force Base, the newest base in the United States Air Force, is located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The 50th Space Wing is headquartered at Schriever Air Force Base. Satellite operations are conducted from the Jack Swigert Space Operations Facility. After announcing in early 1981 that a military space systems control facility would be built, Falcon Air Force Station became that facility. The base was built primarily as a backup to Onizuka Air Force Station, Calif., where all Department of Defense satellites were being controlled.

Groundbreaking took place in May 1983, and Falcon Air Force Station became a reality. Two years later 2nd Space Wing was formed, and mission capability from Onizuka Air Station began transferring over to Falcon. The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) in October 1987.

In June 1988, Falcon Air Force Station was redesignated Falcon Air Force Base.

Due to Air Force-wide restructuring, 2nd Space Wing was inactivated and the 50th Space Wing activated on January 30, 1992, taking on the heritage of the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing which was deactivated at Hahn AB, Germany.

On June 5, 1998, Falcon Air Force Base was renamed Schriever Air Force Base in honor of retired General Bernard A. Schriever, who pioneered the development of the nation's ballistic missile programs and is recognized as "the father of the United States Air Force's space and missile program."

Satellite operations are conducted from the Jack Swigert Space Operations Facility. The Jack Swigert Space Operations Facility was dedicated in June 1986 in memory of Jack Swigert who was born and raised in Denver, Colo. Swigert was an astronaut and command pilot on Apollo 13 mission. Upon leaving NASA he ran for Congress from Denver, and was elected, but died one week prior to accepting office in December 1982. He was 51 years old.

The base acreage is 3,840 and its population is approximately 4,000 military, DoD civilians, and contractors.

Tenant organizations at Schriever Air Force Base include the Joint National Test Facility; Ballistic Missile Defense Organization; Space Warfare Center, 17th Test Squadron; 576th Flight Test Squadron; 55th Space Weather Squadron; Operating Location, Space and Missile Systems Center, Detachment 11; 11th Space Warning Squadron; Cheyenne Mountain Training and Simulation System; 2nd Command & Control Squadron; 18th Intelligence Squadron; Detactment 46, Air Force Technical Applications Center; Detachment 807, Air Force Office of Special Investigation; and the 310th Space Group.

BRAC 2005

In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to close Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (ARS), NY. It would realign the 914th Airlift Wing's Expeditionary Combat Support (ECS) to the 310th Space Group (AFR) at Schriever AFB.