Onizuka Air Force Station

Onizuka Air Force Station
Onizuka Air Force Station

Air Force Space Command.png

Part of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)
Sunnyvale, California
Lockheed's "Blue Cube".jpg
Onizuka Air Force Station
Type Air Force Station
Coordinates 37°24′27.35″N 122°1′36.40″W / 37.4075972°N 122.026778°W / 37.4075972; -122.026778Coordinates: 37°24′27.35″N 122°1′36.40″W / 37.4075972°N 122.026778°W / 37.4075972; -122.026778
Built 1960
In use 1960 - 2010
Controlled by United States Air Force
Garrison 21st Space Operations Squadron

Onizuka Air Force Station was a United States Air Force installation in Santa Clara County, California, just outside the city limits of Sunnyvale, at the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 237. Its main building, known locally as the Blue Cube, is large, pale blue, and windowless, with an array of parabolic dish antennas used for communication with remote tracking stations used to control military satellites. Onizuka AFS was operated by the 21st Space Operations Squadron, a geographically separated unit (GSU) of the 50th Space Wing. Onizuka AFS was closed on July 28, 2010, and operations were moved to the new Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base.[1]

Contents

History

Built in 1960 on land near Moffett Field purchased from Lockheed, the station was originally known as the Air Force Satellite Test Center. It was later renamed the Air Force Satellite Control Facility, and Sunnyvale Air Force Station. It was also Lockheed "Building 100". In 1986, the base was renamed Onizuka Air Force Base in honor of Lt Col Ellison Onizuka, USAF, one of the astronauts who, on January 28, 1986, died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. On January 26, 1994, Onizuka Air Force Base was renamed Onizuka Air Force Station.

Closure

Realignment of Onizuka Air Force Station was recommended and accepted as part of the 1995 round of the Base Realignment and Closure Program. In summary, the 750th Space Group was to be deactivated and its functions relocated to Falcon AFB, CO. Detachment 2 of the Space and Missile Systems Center would relocate to Falcon AFB (now Schriever AFB), CO and Kirtland AFB, NM, while some other undisclosed tenants would remain in the existing facilities for some time.[2] On May 13, 2005, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommended closing the Onizuka Air Force Station in Sunnyvale as part of a fifth round of military base closures and re-sizing. The date by which the realignment and closure must be completed is September 15, 2011.[3]

In April 2007, the mission of the National Reconnaissance Office at Onizuka AFS ended after 46 years.[4]

See also

  • Air Force Satellite Control Facility

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Clear Air Force Station —   Part of Alaska Air National Guard (AK AN …   Wikipedia

  • New Boston Air Force Station — Part of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Hillsborough County, New Hampshire …   Wikipedia

  • Air Force Satellite Control Network — The Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) provides support for the operation, control, and maintenance of a variety of United States Department of Defense and some non­ DoD satellites. This involves continual execution of the tasks involved …   Wikipedia

  • Air Force Space Command — Infobox Military Unit unit name= Air Force Space Command caption=Emblem of the AFSPC dates= September 1982–Present country= United States branch= Air Force type= Major Command role= Development and operation of military space technologies size=… …   Wikipedia

  • List of United States Air Force installations — The following is a partial list of U.S. Air Force bases and airfields, past and present.Major active duty installationsCurrent operational major active duty air bases and facilities, some with IATA Airport Codes: In the United States Abroad Minor …   Wikipedia

  • Onizuka — may refer to: People Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986), U.S. astronaut who died in the Challenger accident Places Onizuka Air Force Station, military station in Sunnyvale, California, Onizuka Center for International Astronomy visitor information… …   Wikipedia

  • Peterson Air Force Base — Part of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Located near: Colorado Springs, Colorado …   Wikipedia

  • List of minor active Air Force Bases — with major commands, telephone numbers, size, location and web site link: (Abbreviation codes: Air Base (AB), Air Force Station (AFS), Air Station (AS), Royal Air Force (RAF) *Avon Park AS, Fla., AMC, DSN 968 1110, commercial (813) 828 1110.… …   Wikipedia

  • Onizuka — ist der Name des US amerikanischen Astronauten Ellison Shoji Onizuka eines nach ihm benannten Asteroiden, siehe (3355) Onizuka der Luftwaffenbasis Onizuka Air Force Station in Sunnyvale (Kalifornien) einer Raumfähre aus der Fernsehserie… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Buckley Air Force Base — Part of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Located in: Aurora, Colorado …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”