Hawaiian Space Force Antennas Collect Vital Data with ‘Antiquated’ Equipment

June 16, 2022

Air Force Magazine:

Atop a ridge 1,500 feet above the waters of Yokohama Bay on Oahu island are six giant white globes concealing antennas for the collection of space data. The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data collected from satellites as they orbit over the Pacific is vital to the Space Force and Joint Force. But all too often, the aging antennas are down and deferring their tasks to other sites at island locations also operating with near-obsolete hardware at risk of failure.

The Space Force’s 21st Space Operations Squadron (SOS), commanded by a single Guardian with the help of more than three dozen civilians and contractors, ensures the data flow in spite of the offline periods, switching from one antenna to another when possible. Together, the two Detachment 3 antennas under Space Force control form a pipeline to stream instructions to satellites and downlink data for the Defense Department, National Reconnaissance Agency, other government agencies, and allies…

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