50th Space Wing - Overview

Overview

The unit is the host wing at Schriever Air Force Base, located east of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their primary responsibility is to track and maintain the command and control, warning, navigational, and communications satellites for AFSPC. The 50th Space Wing also manages the Global Positioning System.

Typical satellite monitoring tasks such as tracking and telemetry are the main part of their mission, and in so doing, they employ more than 5600 personnel (active duty military, guard and reserve, contractors, and DoD civilians.)

The 50th Space Wing wields space, cyberspace and expeditionary capabilities to deliver decisive global combat effects in support of national security objectives. It operates and supports satellite programs including the Global Positioning System, the Defense Satellite Communications System, Wideband Global SATCOM, Milstar, Advanced Extremely High Frequency, Space Based Space Surveillance, Tactical Satellite-3, Space Tracking and Surveillance System Advanced Technology Risk Reduction Satellite and the worldwide Air Force Satellite Control Network.

The wing also operates satellite operation centers at Schriever AFB and remote tracking stations and other command and control facilities around the world. These facilities monitor satellites during launch, put the satellites in their proper orbits following launch, operate the satellites while they are in orbit, keep them functioning properly and properly dispose of the satellites at their end of life.