Det. 5 of Air Force Space Command’s 22nd Space Operations Squadron celebrated its 40 years of service last week, noting that it came out of the black with the end of the Cold War. The unit, located on the island of Guam, is one of eight worldwide Air Force Satellite Control Network stations that command, track, and receive data from satellites. In its 40 years, unit officials say Det. 5 has maintained a 99.96 percent operations performance score, a 99.66 percent accuracy rate, and just 1.16 errors for every 10,000 satellite supports. The Guam unit is a mix of blue-suit airmen and civilians and contractors.
The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital is giving a $150 million conditional loan to Rocket Lab meant to increase the launch rate for its new reusable Neutron rocket, which is slated for its first flight next year.