Human Space Flight Support (Det 3, 45 OG)

45th Operations Group, Detachment 3, Patrick AFB FL coordinates DoD contingency support for our nation's human space flight programs.  Chartered in 1959 by the Secretary of Defense as the DoD Mercury Support Office [later renamed DoD Manned Space Flight Support Office (DDMS)], its express purpose is providing DoD support to our nation's human space flight programs . . . putting people into space and returning them safely to Earth.  Since its inception, this unit has continued to be the principle facilitator for all DoD nominal and contingency support to Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo; the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project; the Space Shuttle Program; the International Space Station (ISS)/Soyuz Program; the Orion Program; and the Commercial Crew Program (CCP).

The Commander of U.S. Strategic Command (CDRUSSTRATCOM) is designated in the Presidential Unified Command Plan as the DoD Manager for Human Space Flight Support (HSFS) Operations.  CDRUSSTRATCOM’s HSFS responsibilities and authorities include validating DOD operational resources requested by NASA, with the intent of supporting NASA with unique capabilities without adversely impacting principle DoD missions.  As the DoD Manager’s primary support staff, 45 OG Det 3 (re-designated in 2008 from DDMS) remains the principle DoD liaison for coordinating support for NASA's human space flight operations.  While 45 OG Det 3 is OPCON/ADCON under the 45 Space Wing, it remains TACON under the Deputy DoD Manager for HSFS, CDR JFCC SPACE.

45 OG Det 3 is responsible for coordinating astronaut rescue and recovery, contingency landing site support, payload security, medical support, coordination of airlift/sealift for contingency operations, as well as other support services required in the event of a spacecraft emergency.  The office further develops functional/operational documents with USSTRATCOM and coordinates with elements of the military departments, combatant commands, DoD agencies, and other USG agencies, and then monitors the status of those forces during mission execution.  During HSFS launch and recovery events, 45 OG Det 3 activates the Support Operations Center (SOC) at Patrick AFB which maintains contact with NASA and the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) at Vandenberg AFB.  Additionally, 45 OG Det 3 has liaison officers (LNO) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and USSTRATCOM at Offutt AFB.

With the retirement of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, current 45 OG Det 3 operations are focused on supporting NASA and NASA-sponsored astronauts as they are transported to and from the International Space Station (ISS) via the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.  When astronauts return to Earth via Soyuz, NASA requires a standby aeromedical evacuation (AE) capability.  45 OG Det 3 personnel deploy to Ramstein AB, Germany for each landing to coordinate the AE capability and function as liaison officers with NASA, USEUCOM, USCENTCOM, and the Kazakhstan Defense Attaché Office.  In the event of an AE following a Soyuz landing, the 45 OG Det 3 personnel become the USSTRATCOM C2 element for the deployed forces.

45 OG Det 3 is engaged in supporting NASA's future human space flight programs.  As the primary DoD interface to astronaut rescue and recovery, 45 OG Det 3 is working with NASA to validate support requirements for NASA’s Orion Program that will take astronauts beyond low Earth orbit.  Over the past two years, 45 OG Det 3 has facilitated numerous technical interface meetings between NASA engineers and DoD recovery forces to design Crew Module recovery procedures and equipment, and has trained all DoD forces supporting the recovery effort.  Additionally, 45 OG Det 3 planned, coordinated and executed multiple full-mission rehearsals leading up to the successful recovery of the Orion EFT-1 Crew Module on 5 Dec 14.  This flawless mission, which launched the first human-capable vehicle for beyond Earth orbit exploration in more than four decades, was lauded by the NASA Administrator, CDRUSSTRATCOM, and the President of the United States.

Finally, 45 OG Det 3 is also involved in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP), an organic American ISS transportation service.  NASA’s CCP partners with commercial providers who are developing space vehicles that will be used to transport NASA and NASA-sponsored astronauts to and from the ISS.  In support of NASA’s CCP, 45 OG Det 3 is responsible for training medical, first-responder, and rescue and recovery personnel for worldwide contingency support operations as well as coordinating/executing those global support operations.

(Current as of July 2015)