| 7th Space Operations Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Squadron members check the status of a satellite to ensure it is operating within normal parameters | |
| Active | 1942–1944; 1945–1949; 1949–1952; 1952–1954; 1969–1974; 1993–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Satellite control |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Schriever AFB, Colorado |
| Motto | First from the Stars |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 7th Space Operations Squadron emblem(approved 2 February 1994)[1] |  |
| 7th Special Operations Squadron emblem[2][note 1] |  |
| 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron emblem (World War II)[note 2] |  |
TheUnited States Air Force's7th Space Operations Squadron is anAir Force reserve space operations unit located atSchriever Air Force Base, Colorado.
The 7th Space Operations Squadron is areserve associate unit that is integrated with the1st Space Operations Squadron in operating the Multi-Mission Space Operations Center, a one-of-a-kind satellite operations center focused on rapidly fielding space technologies for warfighters.[3]
The first predecessor of the 7th Squadron was the7th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron which was activated on 28 January 1942, atMacDill Field, Florida and assigned directly toThird Air Force. After a brief period atSavannah, Georgia, whereEighth Air Force was building up for its move to theEuropean Theater of Operations, the squadron moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where it became part of the2d Photographic Group.[1]
Thesquadron's primary mission was to trainaircrews inphotographic reconnaissance. The squadron was primarily equipped with the F-4 and F-5 reconnaissance versions of theLockheed P-38 Lightning.[1] In October 1943 the squadron moved with its parent 2d Group toWill Rogers Field, Oklahoma, where the Third Air Force Photographic Unit Training Center was located. The squadron was also called on to provide personnel for new reconnaissance units as they were activated.[4] However, theArmy Air Forces was finding that units like the 7th, based on rigidtables of organization were not well suited to the training mission. Accordingly, it reorganized its training activities into a functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[5] On 1 May 1944, the unit was disbanded and its personnel and equipment, along with other photographic reconnaissance training and support units were used to form the 348th AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Photo Reconnaissance).
The second predecessor of the squadron was the7th Liaison Squadron, which was organized atHeidelberg, Germany as part of theoccupation forces followingWorld War II. At Heidelberg, the squadron replaced the153d Liaison Squadron, which was inactivated a few weeks later in preparation for its transfer to theMississippi National Guard.[6] The 7th used light aircraft to provide courier and transportation services for personnel of the American occupation forces until it moved to the United States in June 1947. It performed similar services atMarch Air Force Base, California from September until it was inactivated on 28 March 1949.[1]
The unit was again activated as the7th Liaison Flight atAlbrook Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone in October 1949. There, it provided operations and logistical support for the Inter-American Geodetic Survey in the Panama Canal Zone.[citation needed] until inactivating again on 8 September 1952. Returning to squadron size, the7th Liaison Squadron was activated the following month atDonaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it flewDe Havilland Canada L-20 Beavers until inactivating in June 1954.[1]
In the late 1960s, the United States drew down some of its forces in Europe. To continue meeting its commitments toNATO, theDepartment of Defense developed the concept of "dual based" units that would be stationed in the United States, but would be committed to augment NATO and would regularly exercise with other forces in Europe. As part of the withdrawal, theHelio U-10 Courier flight of the7th Special Operations Squadron atRamstein Air Base, Germany was used to organize the third predecessor of the squadron,[citation needed] the7th Special Operations Flight atOtis Air Force Base, Massachusetts in July 1969. Theflight operated the Couriers and, briefly, aDouglas C-47 Skytrain from Otis until May 1972.[1]
That month, the flight moved on paper to Eglin Auxiliary FieId No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), Florida, where it was equipped with theFairchild C-123 Provider. Shortly before its inactivation in April 1974, the squadron swapped its fixed wing aircraft forBell UH-1 Hueys.[1]
In 1985 the three squadrons were consolidated as the27th Special Operations Squadron but the consolidated squadron remained inactive.[1]
The consolidated squadron was redesignated the7th Space Operations Squadron and activated in thereserve atFalcon Air Force Base, Colorado, on 1 January 1993.[1] The 7th was the first reserve squadron with a space mission to be activated. Prior to the squadron's activation, reservists who worked in space-related positions were individual reservists under the individual augmentee program.[3] The squadron was first assigned to the302d Airlift Wing at nearbyPeterson Air Force Base, but by 1997. reserve space participation had grown and the squadron became part of the new310th Space Group.[1]
The previous mission for 7th was to augment space operation squadrons of the50th Space Wing, specifically the1st Space Operations Squadron. These activities included satellite emergencies, launch and early orbit, and satellite disposal for theGlobal Positioning System andDefense Support Program satellites.[7][8] Up until 2007, the 7th operated theMidcourse Space Experiment satellite,Air Force Space Command's only space-based space surveillance asset and also performed booster launch operations mission, providing telemetry collection/data relay for Delta II launches.[9]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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