United States Space Force Space Systems Command
Overview
The United States Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) is a field command of the United States Space Force responsible for research, development, acquisition, and sustainment of military space systems.
SSC is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California. It was initially established as the Space and Missile Systems Center, which was created in 1954 to manage the development of the nation's first intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Mission
The SSC ensures the United States' access to, and freedom to operate in, space. It does this by providing resilient and affordable space capabilities that enable military dominance in all warfighting domains.
SSC's mission is to deliver space capabilities to the warfighter quickly and affordably, and to ensure that those capabilities are interoperable with the joint force.
Organization
SSC is organized into four directorates:
- Engineering and Technology
- Acquisition and Integration
- Space Launch li>Mission Assurance
Each directorate is responsible for a different aspect of SSC's mission. The Engineering and Technology Directorate develops new space technologies, the Acquisition and Integration Directorate acquires and integrates space systems for the warfighter, the Space Launch Directorate launches space systems, and the Mission Assurance Directorate ensures that space systems are safe and reliable.
Accomplishments
SSC has a long history of accomplishments, including:
- Developing the nation's first intercontinental ballistic missiles
- Providing space systems for the Apollo program
- Deploying the Global Positioning System
- Providing space systems for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Developing the Space Launch System, which will be used to launch the next generation of human spaceflight missions
SSC is a vital part of the United States Space Force, and is playing a key role in ensuring that the United States remains a leader in space.
