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.
When an E-3 Sentry battle management aircraft was damaged in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, it sparked a host of questions about one of the Air Force’s oldest, smallest, but most critical fleets. Experts say the service doesn’t have many options to answer those questions.
