Several military commands—the primary customers for space-based research, development, acquisition, and operations—advance aerospace growth in the state.
Military installations located in Colorado provide an annual economic impact of $27 billion to the state’s economy and employ more than 170,000 military and defense-related civilian personnel.
Military Commands:
- Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)
Headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations. - U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command (SMDC/ARSTRAT)
Located in Colorado Springs, SMDC/ARSTRAT serves as the Army's force modernization proponent for space, high altitude and global missile defense. - North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Based in Colorado Springs, NORAD is a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America. - U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)
Provides command and control of Department of Defense (DOD) homeland defense efforts and to coordinate defense support of civil authorities.
Military Bases:
- Buckley Air Force Base
Based in Aurora, Buckley Air Force Base is home to the 460th Space Wing and supports more than 83 tenant organizations that represent all branches of the military. The base also hosts the Colorado Air National Guard 120th Fighter Squadron and its F-16C fighters. - Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs is the home of the 21st Space Wing (SW) as well as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command (SMDC/ARSTRAT), the 302nd Airlift Wing, as well as a number of other smaller tenant units. The 21st Space Wing is responsible for worldwide missile warning, space control, and missile defense. - Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs is the home of the 50th SW as well as the Space Innovation and Development Center (SIDC), the 310th Space Wing, the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center (MDIOC), the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense (JFCC-IMD), and numerous tenant organizations.