The 45th Space Wing recently began construction on a new Range Communications Facility at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. The suite of technologies in the new center will give the 45th SW greater reliability at a lower cost, and the new construction incorporates flood-resistance measures. “The new facility will alleviate concerns we have every hurricane season resolving structural, mechanical, and fire protection problems that the building has experienced over the years,” said Robert Elliott, 45th Civil Engineer Squadron project manager, according to a press release. The new 32,000-square foot facility will cost $18.6 million to build and is expected to be finished in 2018.
The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request includes about $2.5 billion for commercial services like satellite communications and off-the-shelf capabilities, but officials say commercial components and technology are embedded throughout programs, making the true allocation much higher.