The US Space Command (SPACECOM) is now at full operational capability, the service announced during a town hall meeting at its headquarters in Colorado.
The achievement comes four years after the command’s second incarnation, reestablished after closing in 2002 to promote peace in the growing space sector.
Operational capability was met after accomplishing the US Army’s Unified Command Plan, a set of guidelines that set the missions and areas of responsibilities of all military forces.
Notable Growth
In 2021, SPACECOM’s Initial Operational Capability was announced after multiple milestones that support its effectiveness as a warfighting force.
SPACECOM commander general James Dickinson stated that the command’s milestones were reached in a short span of time due to the force’s “disciplined initiative.”
The organization’s official statement lists the rapid establishment of its 24/7 Joint Operations Center (JOC), its leading command and control network, as one of its biggest achievements.
The JOC was responsible for monitoring Russia’s anti-satellite missile test in November 2021, which generated more than 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris that could compromise space safety.
Colorado, the Command’s Home
US senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper stressed the importance of having SPACECOM’s headquarters in Colorado.
“Colorado was selected as the rightful home for U.S. Space Command because of our state’s extensive space and national security assets and robust aerospace economy,” Bennet said.
Colorado is home to over 250 aerospace and defense companies, creating more than 100,000 national security jobs.