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{{Short description|Type of military organization}}
{{about|military organizations, and includes a list of Space Commands|other uses of "Space Command"|Space Command (disambiguation)}}
{{spaceflight sidebar}}

A '''space command''' is a [[military organization]] with responsibility for space operations and warfare. A space command is typically a [[Jointness|joint]] organization or organized within a larger [[military branch]] and is distinct from a fully independent [[space force]]. The world's first space command, the United States' [[Air Force Space Command]] was established in 1982 and later became the [[United States Space Force]] in 2019.

==History==
In the United States and Soviet Union, the early military space programs were managed by individual military services. In the United States, the Air Force and its various major commands were responsible for military space operations, however Air Defense Command was responsible for the majority of space operations. In 1967, it was redesignated [[Aerospace Defense Command]] to emphasize its increased space role. Following the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command in 1980, U.S. space forces were briefly organized under [[Strategic Air Command]], before being organized into [[Air Force Space Command|Space Command]], which was activated in 1982. Space Command, which was the first space command in the world, was redesignated Air Force Space Command in 1985 to distinguish it from the joint U.S. Space Command. The Army and Navy, both possessing smaller space capabilities, both had their own space commands, with [[Naval Space Command]] activated in 1983 and [[Army Space Command]] activated in 1988.<ref name=Navy>{{cite web |last1=Wagner |first1=Gary R |title=Naval Network and Space Operations Command Established |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=2878 |access-date=26 August 2018 |language=en |archive-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827210050/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=2878 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Soviet space forces were organized under the [[Strategic Rocket Forces]]' [[Central Directorate of Space Assets]], which was activated in 1964, before being upgraded to the [[Main Directorate of Space Assets]] in 1970.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/cosmic/history.htm|title=History : Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation|access-date=2021-04-08|archive-date=2021-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127224024/http://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/cosmic/history.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Soviet Air Defense Forces]]' [[Anti-Ballistic Missile and Anti-Space Defense Forces]] were activated in 1967 and remained a part from the Strategic Missile Forces' space forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/vks/50letRKO/history.htm|title=История : Министерство обороны Российской Федерации|access-date=21 December 2023|language=ru|archive-date=8 May 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200508194215/https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/vks/50letRKO/history.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1959, fearing U.S. Air Force dominance of the military space program, the [[United States Navy]]'s [[chief of naval operations]], Admiral [[Arleigh Burke]], proposed the creation of a Defense Astronautical Agency to manage U.S. military space operations. The proposal of a joint space command did not come to pass until 1985, when [[United States Space Command]] was activated to manage U.S. military space activities, overseeing Air Force Space Command, Naval Space Command, and Army Space Command.<ref name=bhor>[https://media.defense.gov/2011/Jan/25/2001330110/-1/-1/0/AFD-110125-038.pdf Beyond Horizons] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027201807/https://media.defense.gov/2011/Jan/25/2001330110/-1/-1/0/AFD-110125-038.pdf |date=2020-10-27 }} defense.gov 1998</ref> The Soviet Union also rose the profile of their space forces, moving the [[Main Directorate of Space Assets]] from the Strategic Missile Forces to the [[Soviet Armed Forces]] General Staff in 1982, before upgrading it into the [[Chief Directorate of Space Assets]] and placing it directly in the [[Minister of Defence (Soviet Union)|Ministry of Defence]] in 1986.<ref name="auto1"/> In 1981, the U.S.–Canadian North American Air Defense Command was redesignated as the [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]], emphasizing its space role.<ref name=bhor/>

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Soviet space forces were reorganized into Russia's [[Russian Space Forces|Military Space Forces]] and the [[Russian Air Defence Forces]]' [[Rocket and Space Defence Troops]]. In 1997, both were merged into the Strategic Rocket Forces, before being split out in 2001 as the [[Russian Space Forces]], which was an independent troops, but not a full independent service.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.amacad.org/publication/russian-and-chinese-responses-us-military-plans-space/section/3|title=Russian and Chinese Responses to U.S. Military Plans in Space | American Academy of Arts and Sciences|website=www.amacad.org|access-date=2021-04-08|archive-date=2021-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301095759/https://www.amacad.org/publication/russian-and-chinese-responses-us-military-plans-space/section/3|url-status=live}}</ref> U.S. Army space forces also underwent reorganization, with the Army Space Command being merged with its missile defense forces to form [[Army Space and Strategic Defense Command]] in 1992, being redesignated as [[Army Space and Missile Defense Command]] in 1997.<ref>[https://www.smdc.army.mil/Portals/38/Documents/Publications/History/Cmd%20History%20Book/Chap%206.pdf History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703211709/https://www.smdc.army.mil/Portals/38/Documents/Publications/History/Cmd%20History%20Book/Chap%206.pdf |date=2021-07-03 }} army.mil</ref>

With the [[September 11 Attacks]], U.S. space forces were sidelined with the change in focus to the [[War on Terror]]. In 2002, U.S. Space Command was inactivated and its joint space responsibilities were transferred to [[United States Strategic Command]] and [[Naval Space Command]] was inactivated, transferring most of its capabilities to Air Force Space Command. Starting in 2005, U.S. Strategic Command began to organize its space forces semi–independently, first as [[Joint Space Operations]], then in 2006 as the [[Joint Functional Component Command for Space]], and in 2017 the [[Joint Force Space Component Command]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://purview.dodlive.mil/2018/10/01/reestablishing-u-s-space-command/|title=Re-establishing U.S. Space Command|website=purview.dodlive.mil|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806093256/https://purview.dodlive.mil/2018/10/01/reestablishing-u-s-space-command/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, the United States reestablished [[United States Space Command]], and in 2020, reorganized Air Force Space Command into the [[United States Space Force]], becoming a full independent military branch, with [[Space Operations Command]] serving as its primary space command. To support U.S. Space Command, in 2020 the Navy created [[Navy Space Command]], with [[United States Tenth Fleet]] as its operational arm, out of Fleet Cyber Command.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spacecom.mil/About/Fact-Sheets-Editor/Article/1948216/united-states-space-command-fact-sheet/|title=United States Space Command Fact Sheet|website=United States Space Command|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=May 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504222457/https://www.spacecom.mil/About/Fact-Sheets-Editor/Article/1948216/united-states-space-command-fact-sheet/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Recognizing the growing importance of space operations, France created the [[Joint Space Command]] within the [[French Air Force]] in 2010 to manage its space capabilities, reorganizing it into the [[French Space Command]] as part of a larger transformation of the French Air Force into the [[French Air and Space Force]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/france-space-command-plan-satellites-lasers.html|title=France Wants to Use Lasers to Protect Its Satellites|first=Taylor|last=Mahlandt|date=Aug 1, 2019|website=Slate Magazine|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811095650/https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/france-space-command-plan-satellites-lasers.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Russia also reorganized their Space Forces, merging together their Space Forces and air defense elements of the Russian Air Force to form the [[Russian Aerospace Defense Forces]] in 2011, moving the space elements into the Aerospace Defense Forces' [[Russian Space Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2015/08/03/russian-military-merges-air-force-and-space-command-a48710|title=Russian Military Merges Air Force and Space Command|first=Matthew|last=Bodner|date=Aug 3, 2015|website=The Moscow Times|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922114955/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2015/08/03/russian-military-merges-air-force-and-space-command-a48710|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, it reorganized its space forces again, merging the Russian Air Force and Russian Aerospace Defense Forces to form the [[Russian Aerospace Forces]] and recreating the Russian Space Forces as a sub-branch, replacing the Russian Space Command.<ref>[https://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/cosmic.htm Space Force] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420043519/http://eng.mil.ru/en/structure/forces/cosmic.htm |date=2021-04-20 }} mil.ru</ref> In 2015, the [[People's Liberation Army]] also centralized their space forces as part of the new [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force|Strategic Support Force]]'s Space Systems Department.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdn.defenseone.com/b/defenseone/interstitial.html?v=9.19.0&rf=https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2018/09/china-has-space-force-what-are-its-lessons-pentagon/151665/|title=Welcome - Defense One|website=cdn.defenseone.com|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128154020/https://cdn.defenseone.com/b/defenseone/interstitial.html?v=9.19.0&rf=https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2018/09/china-has-space-force-what-are-its-lessons-pentagon/151665/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, India centralized its space forces in a tri-service [[Defence Space Agency]], which is expected to become a full command in the coming years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/06/12/india-to-launch-a-defense-based-space-research-agency/|title=India to launch a defense-based space research agency|first=Vivek|last=Raghuvanshi|date=Jun 12, 2019|website=Defense News|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=February 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226103205/https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/06/12/india-to-launch-a-defense-based-space-research-agency/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TOI">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-begins-setting-up-new-tri-service-agencies-to-handle-special-operations-space-and-cyberspace/articleshow/69346012.cms|title=Agencies take shape for special operations, space, cyber war|date=15 May 2019|website=[[The Times of India]]|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=2019-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517145224/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-begins-setting-up-new-tri-service-agencies-to-handle-special-operations-space-and-cyberspace/articleshow/69346012.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, Iran also unveiled their own Space Command under the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/irans-satellite-launch-carries-more-political-weight-than-military-significance/|title=Iran's satellite launch carries more political weight than military significance|date=Apr 28, 2020|access-date=Aug 11, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806225647/https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/irans-satellite-launch-carries-more-political-weight-than-military-significance/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, [[NATO]] also established a Space Centre as part of [[Allied Air Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ac.nato.int/archive/2020/NATO_Space_Centre_at_AIRCOM|title=NATO agrees new Space Centre at Allied Air Command|website=ac.nato.int|access-date=2021-04-08|archive-date=2021-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331150729/https://ac.nato.int/archive/2020/NATO_Space_Centre_at_AIRCOM|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, the [[British Armed Forces]] established [[United Kingdom Space Command]] as a joint command under the leadership of the [[Royal Air Force]], taking over space responsibilities from [[United Kingdom Strategic Command]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-space-command|title=UK Space Command|website=GOV.UK|date=22 May 2023|access-date=8 April 2021|archive-date=2 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202153239/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-space-command|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]] announced the intended creation of an Australian Space Command.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-31/raaf-looks-to-space-as-it-celebrates-100-years/100039914| title = RAAF planning for new military space command as it celebrates 100th anniversary - ABC News| website = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date = 30 March 2021| access-date = 2021-04-08| archive-date = 2021-04-11| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210411125134/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-31/raaf-looks-to-space-as-it-celebrates-100-years/100039914| url-status = live}}</ref>

==List of space commands==
{{main|List of space forces, units, and formations}}
*{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Space Command (Australia)|Space Command]] ([[Australian Defence Force]] integrated tri-service headquarters within [[Joint Capabilities Group]] (JCG))
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Space Operations Group]] (part of the [[Japan Air Self-Defense Force]])
*{{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Aerospace Operations Command]] (part of the [[Brazilian Air Force]])
*{{flagicon|Canada}} {{Flagicon|USA}} [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]] (multinational command)
*{{flagicon|PRC}}{{ill|People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force Space Systems Department|zh|中国人民解放军战略支援部队航天系统部|lt=Space Systems Department}} (part of the [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force]])
*{{flagicon|France}} [[French Space Command]] (part of the [[French Air and Space Force]])
*{{flagicon|India}} [[Defence Space Agency]] ([[Indian Armed Forces]] joint command)
*{{flagicon|Iran}} [[Iranian Space Command]] (part of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force]])
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Space Operations Command (Italy)|Space Operations Command]] ([[Italian Armed Forces]] joint command)
*{{flagicon|NATO}} [[NATO Space Centre]] (part of [[Allied Air Command]])
*{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Russian Space Forces]] (part of the [[Russian Aerospace Forces]])
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom Space Command]] ([[British Armed Forces]] joint command)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[United States Space Command]] ([[United States Armed Forces]] joint command)
**{{Flagicon|United States Space Force}} [[Space Operations Command]] (part of the [[United States Space Force]])
**{{Flagicon|United States Army}} [[Army Space and Missile Defense Command]] (part of the [[United States Army]])
**{{Flagicon|United States Navy}} [[Navy Space Command]] (part of the [[United States Navy]])

<gallery class="center" caption="Emblems of various space commands">
File:North American Aerospace Defense Command logo.svg|Shield of [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]]
File:Logo du Commandement de l'Espace.svg|Emblem of the [[French Space Command]]
File:United States Space Command emblem 2019.svg|Current seal of [[United States Space Command]]
File:United States Space Command emblem.gif|Former seal of [[United States Space Command]]<br />(1985–2002)
File:Space Operations Command emblem.png|Emblem of U.S. Space Force [[Space Operations Command]]
File:Air Force Space Command.png|Shield of U.S. [[Air Force Space Command]]<br />(1982–2019)
File:USAF - Aerospace Defense Command.png|Shield of U.S. Air Force [[Aerospace Defense Command]]<br />(1967–1980)
File:United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command Logo.svg|Shoulder sleeve insignia of U.S. [[Army Space and Missile Defense Command]]
File:Emblem of the U.S. Navy Space Command.png|Seal of U.S. [[Navy Space Command]]
File:Naval Space Command (US Navy) insignia 1983.png|Seal of U.S. [[Naval Space Command]]<br />(1983–2002)
File:Logo of the Defence Space Command (Australia).png|Insignia of the Australian [[Defence Space Command]]
File:Space Operations Group.png|Emblem of the Japanese [[Space Operations Group]]
File:Comae.png|Emblem of the [[Aerospace Operations Command|Brazilian Space Command]]
File:Great_emblem_of_the_Russian_Space_Forces.svg|Emblem of the [[Russian Space Forces]]
File:Emblem_of_People's_Liberation_Army_Strategic_Support_Force.png|Emblem of the [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force|Chinese Strategic Space Forces]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Space force]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Spaceflight}}
{{Space forces}}
{{Politics of outer space}}

[[Category:Types of military forces]]
[[Category:Outer space]]
[[Category:Space law]]
[[Category:Space warfare]]

Space command - Revision history

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