CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- The 45th Space Wing will cut the ribbon for a new satellite facility and break ground for a future spacecraft facility during a combined ceremony Thursday, May 28. Air Force officials and distinguished visitors will cut the ribbon for the newly constructed Satellite Spacecraft Alert Facility (SAF) in Area 59. The facility will protect small- to medium-sized satellites during severe weather, including hurricanes.
"The SAF will provide hurricane survivability for spacecraft processing on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station," said Col. Scott Henderson, 45th Launch Group commander. "It will ensure we protect the satellites we work so diligently to process." The hardened facility is designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane with a sustained wind speed of more than 155 mph and wind gusts up to 200 mph. Built 18 feet above grade, it can handle a storm surge of up to 24 feet. The facility is capable of protecting simultaneously three spacecraft. The $4.8 million Military Construction (MILCON) project was added as a late 2006 Congressional Insert. Air Force officials and dignitaries will also break ground for the nearby Spacecraft Test & Integration Center (STIC). The center will provide workspaces for 140 personnel supporting full-time satellite processing for up to 12 launch operations per year. The two-story STIC will also provide the capability of monitoring spacecraft processing and day-of-launch activities. "This building signifies the commitment of this launch base to our spacecraft mission teams. It's been a need for many years," said Lt. Col. John Wagner, 45th Launch Group deputy commander. "This solidifies our commitment to establishing the U.S. Spacecraft Processing Center of Excellence on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station." The STIC will consolidate personal scattered in various 45th Space Wing facilities into one centralized location close to processing operations. The 20,000-square-foot facility was added as a Fiscal Year 2009 Congressional Insert as an $8 million Military Construction (MILCON) project. (45th Space Wing News Release)
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