3d Space Operations Squadron The United States Air Force ' s 3d Space Operations Squadron ( 3 SOPS ) is a satellite operations unit located at Schriever AFB , Colorado . Mission . The mission of 3 SOPS is to ensure reliable space - borne communications to the President , the Secretary of Defense and U . S . and Allied Forces . The mission is accomplished by conducting launch and on - orbit operations for the Defense Satellite Communications System Phase III satellites and Wideband Global Satellite . These satellites provide secure high - rate data communications links to the President , the Secretary of Defense , theater commanders , and strategic and tactical forces worldwide . History . World War II . The squadron was first activated at Maxwell Field , Alabama as the 3d Photographic Squadron under the 1st Photographic Group in May 1941 . It performed aerial mapping primarily over the southeastern United States prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack using Bell P - 39 Aircobra sub - variants ( F - 2 ) which were equipped for the ground - attack and reconnaissance roles . After the United States entry into World War II , the unit flew aerial mapping missions over the Caribbean and northern South America , mapping various islands for locations of airfields to support the South Atlantic Transport route and Antilles Air Command antisubmarine mission . In addition , it flew aerial mapping missions over Western Canada and the Alaska Territory , mapping uncharted territory to support the building of the Alaska Highway . The squadron deployed to the China - Burma - India theater in December 1943 , performing unarmed long - range mapping of remote areas of the Theater over combat areas in support of ground forces and strategic target identification over Indochina and Malay Peninsula for follow - up raids by XX Bomber Command operating from India . The Third returned to the United States in early 1944 and re - equipped with very long range Boeing B - 29 Superfortress es converted to F - 13A reconnaissance configuration . It deployed to the Central Pacific Area and was attached to 20th Air Force . It supported the Strategic Air Offensive over the Japanese Home Islands . On 31 October 1944 , a 3d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron ( PRS ) F - 13 became the first American aircraft over Tokyo since the famed Doolittle Raid in 1942 . By the end of the war , the 3rd PRS had flown 460 combat missions mainly over Japan . It remained in the Western Pacific performing reconnaissance mapping flights over Japan , Korea , and China . The squadron ' s F - 13s returned to the United States in early 1946 for storage or reassignment . It was inactivated in early 1947 . Modern era . In 1985 , the initial cadre of Air Force NATO III and DSCS II satellite operators received training at Sunnyvale Air Force Station , California . These personnel relocated to Falcon AFB in 1987 and became Operating Location - AB , Consolidated Space Test Center . These men and women became the nucleus of what would eventually become the 3d Space Operations Squadron ( SOPS ) . On 2 August 1988 , OL - AB began 24 - hour operations at Falcon AFS . By May 1989 , OL - AB was conducting station - keeping maneuvers on NATO III and DSCS II satellites . On 2 February 1990 , OL - AB was discontinued and its personnel , equipment and mission transferred to the newly activated 3d Satellite Control Squadron ( SCS ) . In November 1990 , the 3d SCS was directed to relocate a DSCS II satellite from over the Pacific to a position over the Indian Ocean to support Operation Desert Shield . The series of relocation maneuvers were completed in December 1990 and the satellite was then configured for operational use . Combat crews saved a failing FLTSATCOM spacecraft just as Operation Desert Storm commenced , ensuring the U . S . Navy ' s two carrier groups had command and control of their aircraft . On 11 July 1991 , in a formal operations turnover ceremony , the squadron accepted complete operational mission transfer of all assigned satellite programs . This transfer officially established operational control of the assigned DOD communications satellites to Air Force Space Command . On 30 January 1992 , as part of a reorganization at Falcon AFB , the 3d SCS was redesignated the 3d SOPS . On 25 March 1993 , the first UHF F / O satellite was launched . Unfortunately due to an Atlas II rocket booster malfunction , the satellite was placed in the wrong orbit . Over the next several weeks , Third personnel planned and executed a series of 25 maneuvers to move the satellite to a super - synchronous orbit . The commander of Air Force Space Command recognized 3rd SOPS for their heroic efforts . In June 1996 , as part of an Air Force and Navy agreement , operations of the FLTSAT constellation were turned over to the Naval Satellite Operations Center at Point Mugu , California . In December 1996 , 3rd SOPS transferred control of the Milstar constellation to the 4th SOPS . On 18 December 1996 , the 3d SOPS gained control of five operating locations located in Nebraska , Virginia , Guam , Italy , and Hawaii . The OLs were responsible for running the Air Force ' s Satellite Management Centers , which monitored and controlled user access to UHF communications satellites . As part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT , the SMC ' s mission was also transferred to the Navy . On 2 July 1999 , as part of the same agreement that transferred FLTSAT to the Navy , operational control of UHF F / O Flights 2 – 9 transferred to NAVSOC . On 10 February 2000 , after several months of on - orbit checkout , 3rd SOPS conducted its last UHF F / O sortie on Flight 10 . As part of the Congressionally mandated Base Realignment and Closure decision to close Onizuka Air Force Station in 1996 , the 3d SOPS assumed the DSCS III launch mission from 5th SOPS . The most recent DSCS III launch took place in March 2003 . In October 2007 , the 3 SOPS assumed satellite control authority of one of the DOD ' s newest and most robust communications satellites , with the launch of WGS - 2 Wideband Global SATCOM . Lineage . 3d Reconnaissance Squadron 3d Space Operations Squadron