The Air Force turns out the lights out at Satellite Operations Center-52 at Onizuka Air Force Station, Calif. SOC-52—also called the “blue cube”—had operated for 36 years, supporting both USAF and civil space operations. Its functions transferred to Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., in 2004.
The Senate Armed Services Committee this week released the full text of its version of the 2026 defense policy bill—often referred to as the National Defense Authorization Act—that would allow the Air Force and Space Force to spend billions of dollars more than the services had sought for next year.