Talking Proud: Service & Sacrifice
“Safe Space Passage:” 1st Range Ops Squadron
“If it flies, we control it”
Introduction
I came across this photo of Capt. Erin Davis, US Space Force (USSF), serving as the 1st Range Operations Squadron Range Operations Commander (ROC) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on November 20, 2025. The caption noted that she was maintaining situational awareness in the Morrell Operations Center while supporting the Falcon 9 Starlink 6-78 mission.
It occurred to me that I knew very little about the US Space Force (USSF) and its operations. I decided to learn more and go where I had not been.
The US has undergone a major transformation of its military forces focused on space. The transformation is still underway and requires staying current. This has been a volatile subject over the years.
Rather than delve into a comprehensive view of the USSF, I decided to put Capt. Davis into the hopper and review her role as a 1st Range Operations Squadron (ROPS) Range Operations Commander (ROC). For me, this is a new world.
There are a few organizational points I need to raise first.
There are two major military commands responsible for space. They are the US Space Command (SPACECOM) and US Space Forces (USSF).
SPACECOM is a unified combatant command responsible for military operations in outer space. The operative phrase is “combatant command.” This means warfighters, space warfighters, generate whatever combat power is needed to win in space. Each military service, including the US Space Force, contributes space warfighters to handle the combat role.
US Space Force (USSF) is a military service responsible for organizing, training, and equipping all assigned space forces. USSF members are called “Guardians.” USSF is a military service on an equal pedestal with the other services. It was organized under the Secretary of the Air Force to get it up and running fast at minimal cost. There is no near-term plan to establish a Secretary of Space. Right now, all hands are focused on expanding space capabilities within this structure.
Both USSPACECOM and USSF seek to achieve space superiority.
In April 2025, USSF published a manual, “Space Warfighting, A Framework for Planners,” which operationalizes two core capabilities: defend US space capabilities, and protect our forces from space-enabled attack. USSF’s role is to educate and train its Guardians to carry out these combat operations.
When discussing space, the term “multi-domain” is often used. This means military forces on land, in the air, at sea, in space, and in cyberspace domains must be integrated and synchronized to gain the advantage.
One more organizational note. One of USSF’s subordinate commands is the Space Systems Command. It acquires, develops, and delivers space capabilities. It includes two Space Launch Deltas: SLD 45 and SLD 30.
Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) operates Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) and the Eastern Range.
Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) supports West Coast launch and ballistic missile launch activities on the Western Range.
Capt. Davis’s 1st Range Operations Squadron (ROPS) was activated in 2003, is subordinate to SLD 45, is a USSF squadron, and is headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base (SFB) in Florida.
Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station were renamed Patrick Space Force Base (SFB) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) in December 2020, becoming the first installations of the U.S. Space Force.
The 1st ROPS operates the Eastern Range, a 15-million-square-mile area along the Atlantic coast essential for launching rockets on trajectories that avoid populated areas. It extends from Cape Canaveral eastward into the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Capt. Davis was working in the Morrell Operations Center (MOC), located at the CCSFS. The MOC is the primary command and control hub for launching rockets and missiles from the Eastern Range.
There are two distinct launch facilities at Patrick Space Force Base (SFB). One is NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and the other is the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). For the most part, the 1st ROPS handles launches from the CCSFS, but it also handles launches from the KSC.
Returning to the photo of Capt. Davis, you see her operating a console in the MOC. The USSF people talk about being “on console.” I like that phrase. It means she and her team members are on the job, in this case receiving pertinent information and communicating with others involved in a launch.
The CCSFS and KSC have multiple launch complexes, and the 1st ROPS teams handle multiple launch vehicles and payloads. In the photo, Capt. Davis was the ROC in charge of a Falcon 9 Starlink 6-78 mission.
The Falcon 9 rocket is a partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the US by SpaceX. For the Falcon 9 Starlink 6-78 mission, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster was used for the 20th time and landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Starlink 6-78 mission successfully deployed 29 mini-internet satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO). The mission launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at KSC.
The KSC primarily uses two launch complexes: LC-39A and LC-39B. Launch Complex 39 was built to support Saturn V rocket preparations and launches. The Saturn V, a super-heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo Program, has been retired. The site was renovated for the Space Shuttle Program. The Shuttle has been retired.
LC-39A was renovated for SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches.
LC-39B has been renovated for the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) Program. This program includes Artemis II, which will carry a crew aboard the SLS and Orion spacecraft on a “lunar flyby.” Its mission is planned for March 2026. The plan is for Artemis III to be a crewed lunar landing by 2028.
There is an LC-39C, which is used by companies launching small rockets.
This graphic shows the launch complexes currently in use at the CCSFS. You can see LC-39A and LC-39B above at the KSC. I was surprised by the number of launch sites at the Eastern Range.
There are as many as 49 launch complexes from which missiles or rockets can be launched. Some are run by NASA, some by USSF, some by private companies, and some have been abandoned and would require significant upgrades to become operational.
LC-16 is used by Relativity Space, a company seeking to make space more accessible.
LC-20 is currently held by Space Florida. In 2006, three of Florida’s existing state space entities combined to form Space Florida as a public corporation and innovation connector. It offers leading aerospace companies support for their initiatives.
LC-36 was rebuilt and, in January 2025, was used to launch Blue Origin’s New Glenn (NG-1) mission. Blue Origin is using reusable rockets, a vertical take-off and landing architecture, and intends to serve a public that lives and works in space.
Space Launch Complex (SLC-37) is for a Department of the Air Force (DAF) approved plan for Starship launches. SpaceX is developing Starship as a two-stage, reusable, super-heavy-lift launch vehicle.
SLC-40 has been most recently used to launch NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 to the International Space Station (ISS). SLC-40’s nickname is “Slick Forty.”
LC-41 is used by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) to launch Project Kuiper Low-Earth orbit satellites for Amazon. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by providing internet access to residential, business, and government users in remote areas. ULA is a launch service provider. SLC-401’s nickname is “Slick Forty-One.”
SLC-46 has been renovated and is currently used for multi-use rocket applications. It is operated under license by Space Florida, which intends to be a mission partner for SLC-46 customers.
There are also Landing Zones 1 and 2, which are being used by SpaceX for Starship and a Starship booster.
The photo of Capt. Davis I showed earlier was taken in November 2025.
In 2020, the 1st ROPS had 31 launches. In 2025, it had 109. It handled eight launches in less than eight days in April 2025, including the fastest five launches that same month, five launches in five days in June, and dual launches concurrently in June. It conducted the closest heavy-lift turnaround with Blue Origin New Glenn from LC-36, and a tad over six hours later, a ULA Atlas V from SLC-41. The schedule boils down to a launch every three to four days, but is likely to increase.
When I spotted the photo of Capt. Davis on console at MOC, I wondered what her job entailed. I looked into it.
The first thought that came to mind, since she was a Range Operations Commander, was whether the ROC pulls the trigger for the launch. A 1st ROPS ROC does not personally push the button to launch a vehicle; instead, they command and control the safety, airspace, and data for the Eastern Range, providing the final "clear to proceed" that allows the launch partner to initiate the launch at “T minus zero.”
So then I wondered whether the ROC can abort a launch. The ROC is authorized to command a launch abort or initiate flight termination if the vehicle violates safety criteria.
The ROC ensures public safety by monitoring for malfunctions or deviations and can trigger the flight termination system (FTS). The FTS intentionally destroys or neutralizes the rocket if it veers off course, such that it can threaten public safety.
I need to pause here. Developing and launching rockets is a dangerous business. There is no such thing as a routine launch. There is risk involved. The ROC, along with others involved in the launch, shares a heavy burden.
In 2022, SLD-45 Public Affairs described the activities of a 1st ROPS team before, during, and after launch. I’ll draw from it and apply my 20 years of experience in the USAF.
To start, the primary concern for Capt. Davis’s squadron is public safety. Its members work directly with the launch service provider, the “customer,” to ensure compliance with the rules. Her team coordinates the clearance of airspace and maritime zones under rocket trajectories. Range Operations Commanders oversee launch countdowns, resolve anomalies between expected and actual conditions, and help the launch service provider achieve the best possible outcome for the launch.
The Range Operations Commander is a leader for a specific launch. Communication is key to getting the launch off. The ROC operates a communications hub for everyone involved and integrates their requirements into range operations, from pre-launch rehearsals to post-launch debriefs. The majority of activity is communicating status.
There are surveillance teams to ensure the airspace and sea-space under the rocket's trajectory are clear of unauthorized boats or aircraft. There is a focus on range safety and careful observation to ensure the rocket maintains its assigned trajectory.
Squadron personnel interpret sensor data from dispersed teams to assess impacts on range status and communicate critical updates to launch decision authorities, while enforcing compliance with range safety protocols.
The ROPS team begins its preparation process when notified of an impending launch.
After a launch is scheduled, the squadron gets actively involved. While other agencies are focused on preparing the spacecraft and booster, 1st ROPS is supporting its processing operations, determining what range assets will be needed to support the launch of that booster and coordinating the crew that will be “on console” in the MOC on launch day.
The crew “on-console” does dress rehearsals, crew exercises, wet dress rehearsals, static fires, and other activities up through the launch.
The wet dress rehearsal occurs when the rocket is fully loaded with liquid propellant on the launch pad. The team conducts a full simulated countdown without an actual ignition. During a static fire, the space vehicle is partially fueled, and at least one engine is ignited for a short duration. The vehicle is securely bolted to the launch mount.
The ROPS ROC coordinates the actions of the other team members, including: the range control officer, who tracks range instrumentation status and executes the final countdown; the aerospace and surveillance control officers, who clear the air and sea spaces surrounding the launch site and along the rocket's trajectory; the mission flight control officers, who have the critical responsibility of sending destruct functions if the launch vehicle goes off course; and the weather specialists.
Each launch is unique and requires different range assets to maintain line of sight with the vehicle as it moves out over the Eastern Range. In addition to land-based stations, aircraft and ships at sea monitor the launch vehicle as it leaves Earth.
When the ROPS team prepares for the launch, its members sit before consoles and pull in data and information from teams dispersed around the Cape. The team members study this information, assess how it impacts the range status, and communicate their findings to users and the launch decision authority.
The team has a checklist of procedures through launch. Once launched, the team has a list of expected events to ensure the rocket is on its trajectory.
The team sticks with the launch through the “head-on gate.” If the rocket stays within designated safety parameters, it is said to have passed the “gate.”
“Head-on gate” status is a predefined safety checkpoint in the trajectory where the team confirms the vehicle is on a safe path. It is a specific point or time after launch when the rocket has passed the most critical phase of potential failure over populated areas, after which range safety responsibility changes or concludes. If the rocket remains within designated safety parameters, it is said to have passed the “gate.”
In 2023, the Secretary of the Air Force published a Comprehensive Strategy for the Space Force. Frank Kendall, the secretary at the time, said,
“The Nation’s dependency on space has only grown over time. Potential adversaries have operationalized space to enable attacks on our forces and to deny those forces the services from space that they depend on to execute global military operations. We need to protect our space capabilities and the services they provide, and be prepared to defeat our adversaries’ space capabilities.”
