Space Delta 8
Space Delta 8 | |
---|---|
Founded | 24 July 2020 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Space Force |
Type | Delta |
Role | Satellite communication |
Size | 635 personnel |
Part of | Space Operations Command |
Headquarters | Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, U.S. |
Motto(s) | "Masters of Space" |
Website | Official website |
Commanders | |
Commander | Col David A. Pheasant |
Vice Commanders | Lt Col Daniel Sebeck and Lt Col Damian Ochs |
Senior Enlisted Leader | CMSgt Kelby R. LaJoie |
Insignia | |
Guidon |
Space Delta 8 (DEL 8) is the United States Space Force unit responsible for military satellite communications and operates a variety of satellite constellation. It is headquartered at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado.
History
Before the founding of an independent Space Force, the Air Force Space Command's (AFSPC) 50th Operations Group (50 OG), part of the 50th Space Wing, performed the satellite communications and position, navigation, and timing missions. As part of the reorganization in the stand-up of Space Force, 50 OG was inactivated and DEL 8 was activated on 24 July 2020. On 8 February 2022, the 50th Operations Support Squadron was inactivated and the 8th Combat Training Squadron was activated.
In September 2021, the Space Force publicly identified Army and Navy SATCOM units that would transfer to DEL 8. On 6 June 2022, the Naval Satellite Operations Center transferred as the 10th Space Operations Squadron, followed on 29 June 2022 by the Army's 53rd Signal Battalion, which became the 53rd Space Operations Squadron.
On 7 July 2022, Colonel David Pheasant, a former Army officer who had once commanded the 53rd Signal Battalion, took command of DEL 8, becoming the first inter-service transfer officer to command a Space Force Delta.
In 2023, the 2nd Space Operations Squadron was transferred to the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Integrated Mission Delta (Provisional) with the transfer of the position, navigation, and timing mission set into the new unit.
Structure
DEL 8 is composed of four squadrons.
List of commanders
No. | Commander | Term | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Duration | ||
1 | Matthew E. Holston | Colonel24 July 2020 | 7 July 2022 | 1 year, 348 days | ||
2 | David A. Pheasant | Colonel7 July 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year, 238 days |