Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- The Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility officially opened its doors for operations during a dedication ceremony here Friday, July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- Internationally acclaimed bass baritone singer Samuel DePalma, sings the national anthem during the Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility dedication ceremony here Friday, July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- Col. Wayne Monteith, the 50th Space Wing commander, delivers a speech during the dedication ceremony of the new Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility here Friday, July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, the 14th Air Force commander, delivers a speech during the Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility dedication ceremony here Friday, July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, the 14th Air Force commander, Col. Wayne Monteith, the 50th Space Wing commander, Lt. Col. Robert Pavelko, 21st Space Operations commander, and Lorna Onizuka, the widow of Col. Ellison Onizuka, an astronaut who perished aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster cuts a ribbon at the Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility dedication ceremony here Friday, July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.-- Lorna Onizuka, widow of Col. Ellison Onizuka, an astronaut who died aboard Space Shuttle Challenger Jan. 28, 1986, delivers a speech during the Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations facility dedication ceremony here July 30, 2010. Onizuka Air Force Station, previously located in Sunnyvale, officially closed July 28. The 21st Space Operations Squadron transferred here as part of an effort to consolidate satellite command and control operations while reducing excess infrastructure. Onizuka AFS was selected for closure by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 2005 (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Bryan Boyette)

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Vandenberg welcomes 21st SOPS, new facility

Published July 30, 2010
By Senior Airman Steve Bauer
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg hosted a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility here, the new home to the 21st Space Operations Squadron, at 10 a.m. July 30.

Lt. Gen. Larry James, 14th Air Force commander, was the presiding official.

The 21st SOPS is a geographically-separated unit of the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. Prior to moving to Vandenberg, the squadron operated at Onizuka Air Force Station, which closed earlier this week after more than 50 years of service.

"I am sure the men and women of the 21st Space Operations Squadron will continue their steadfast dedication to flawless mission operations providing combat effects from space," said Col. Wayne Monteith, the 50th SW commander.

The 21st SOPS schedules, allocates and configures Air Force Satellite Control Network common user resources; monitors, maintains and updates the status of AFSCN resources; and provides status, configurations and readiness of controlled resources to multiple users and command centers.

The namesake of the 21st SOPS' new home, Col. Ellison Onizuka, was an astronaut who died aboard Space Shuttle Challenger Jan. 28, 1986. Colonel Onizuka's widow, Lorna, spoke at the dedication ceremony.

"I have slowly absorbed what you all do," Mrs. Onizuka said. "Things I admit I did not know. I am tremendously impressed. I sincerely salute all of you for the work that is done here at the 21st SOPS. You do invaluable work to ensure the security of our nation - and we are grateful."

Construction of the, roughly $40 million, Ellison Onizuka Satellite Operations Facility was made possible by the Army Corps of Engineers.

"The Army Corps of Engineers has been instrumental in the development of this new facility," said Lt. Col. Robert Pavelko, the 21st SOPS commander. "What they have done is outstanding. We could not do our mission without this building."