Space Based Infrared System satellite operators now have a purpose-built training simulator, according to Air Force space officials. The 460th Space Wing’s Block 10 unit qualification trainer recently opened at Buckley AFB, Colo. It “will be used to train SBIRS operators for the next 20 to 30 years,” according to a Feb. 18 release. The simulator is built on the Air Force’s Standardized Space Trainer platform and is capable of hosting “multiple crews consisting of 26 skilled operators at any one time,” states the release. The mock command center allows instructors to load a wide variety of video-game-style scenarios to challenge trainees. “The UQT will ensure crew readiness and the ability to monitor satellite health and mission performance, as well as prepare [operators] for any event in a real-world situation,” states the release. SBIRS is primarily tasked with detecting and tracking missile launches.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
