Homa * — United States Air Force HEADQUARTERS SPACE DIVISION (AFSC) OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LOS ANGELES AFS PO BOX 92960, WORLDWAY POSTAL CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA 90009 (213) 643-0254 AV 833-0254 Historical Background ONIZUKA AIR FORCE STATION Onfzuka Alr Force Station In Sunnyvale, Calfif., 37 miles south of San Francisco, Is headquarters for the Alr Force Satelltte Control! Facility. As an operational arm of Space Division, Los Angeles Alr Force Station, Callif., the station monitors and controis on-orbit military spacecraft which support a wide variety of space programs. History Since Its estabi!shment tn 1956, Onizuka AFS and the Satellite Control Fact! ity have evolved through a variety of missions and names. On October 29, 1956, the Lockheed Missile Systems Division became the | primary contractor for one of our nation's first space projects. The company submitted a plan for a worldwide system for tracking satel lites launched from Cape Canaveral! Alr Force Station, Fla. The first fleid office was established In Palo Alto, Calif., In 1958, to achieve an early orbital support capability for the Thor launch system. Support also began on a blomedical program assisting the development of the man-In-space program. The first tracking facilities were located In the Grand Bahamas, Ascension Isiands and Hawall. Other tracking support was available through Vandenberg Air Force Base, Callf., Point Mugu, Callf., Kaena Polnt, Hawall, and Kodiak, Alaska. The Palo Alto site was completed In January 1959, During the launch of Discoverer 1 on February 28, the facility received 514 seconds of telemetry from the world's first polar orbiting satel lite. Later that year, the Air Research and Development Command (now Air Force Systems Command) estabi!shed the first military unit charged with conducting military satellite operations. The Organization became the 06594th Test Wing, with headquarters also at Lockheed's Palo Alto faclIlIty. The 6593rd Test Squadron in Hawall was then assigned to the new organization and, by the end of 1959, the Vandenberg, Hawal! and New Hampshire tracking stations had Jotned the Wing. In June 1960, the 6594th Test Wing (Satellite), moved from Palo Alito to Sunnyvale where an Interim control center was established In the Lockheed complex. By the end of the month, the new Satellite Test Center was activated on land purchased by the Air Force In the southeast corner of the Lockheed area. , -more=
On July 7, 1960, that facility was officially designated as the Satellite Test Annex. By the end of 1961, the central control room was capable of supporting up to three satellites simultaneously using all computertzed operations, By 1962, the network consisted of the Satellite Test Annex at Sunnyvate and Its tracking stations. No two stations were configured Identically as a variety of telemetry, tracking and commanding systems supported the unique requirements of more than 10 programs. The Indian Ocean Station joined the network In August 1963. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamera directed the satellite contro! faci!Ity to be "nationalized" to serve as a nucleus for development of one orbital facility for all Defense Department programs. As a result, the two organizations concerned with planning and operating the satell!te control facility were Integrated into a single organizational element under one manager. At the end of 1964, Alr Force Systems Command directed that the Space Systems Division deputy commander for Satellite Control Operations command the Alr Force Sateltite Control Facility... The headquarters, planning activities, program control, procurement and simiiar functions remal ned with Space Division. The director of Test Operations, however, would be the commander of Detachment 1, Alr Force Satellite Control Facility at Sunnyvale. The Satellite Test Annex was redesignated Sunnyvale Alr Force Station In 1971, taking Its namo from the surrounding community. The headquarters and other staff functions moved from Los Angeles to Sunnyvale in 1977. Telemetry and Command Station Oakhanger, United Kingdom, Joined the Air Force Satellite Control Faclilty network as a shared resource In 1978. During 1979, the Defense Satellite Communications System-Satellite Control Facility Interface System, a major advance In data transmission capablilties, was declared operational at the New Hampshire Tracking Station. At the same time, the Indian Ocean Station was modified to support the Space Shuttie orbital flight testing. On April 12, 1981, the Satel!ite Control Faclilty supported the first spacefilght of the orbiter Columbla. _ Alr Force Satellite Control Facility ' Today, the Alr Force Satellite Control Facility at Onizuka Alr Force Station continues to be responsible for acquiring, malntalning and operating the spacecraft support network for the Department of Defense. -more=
The Sate!lite Test Center at Onizuka AFS Is the nerve center for the Satellite Control Facility operations. [t !s IInked to all the remote tracking stations by an intricate communications network. Tracking stations are found at Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Royal Alr Force Oakhanger facility, England; New Hampshire; Indfan Ocean facility In the Seychelles Group; Kaena Point Air Force Station, Hawall; Anderson Air Force Base, Guam; and Thule Air Base, Greenjand. The center commands and controls ali Defense Department space shuttle misstons from taunch through landing, and provides shuttle filght planning, flight readiness and support. The organization centralizes command and control of the entire shuttle tracking network, and efficiently uses existing resources. This meets the rising demand for space support and reduces I! fe cycle costs through reduction of equipment and manpower. The facility continuous!y supports spacecraft whose missions Include navigation, meteorology and communications. It constitutes the free world's largest and busiest satellite control network. On July 25, 1986, Sunnyvale Alr Force Station was renamed Onizuka [fn honor of Lieutenant Colonel Ellison S. Onizuka, USAF, who perished as a crew member aboard the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. ' «SD=- CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 30, 1986 Additional coples may be requested from: Headquarters Space Division Office of Public Affairs P.0. Box 92960 Los Angeles, CA 90009-2960