The Space and Missile Systems Center, a subordinate unit of the Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the center of technical excellence for researching, developing and purchasing military space systems.

 The center is located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, CA, four miles south of Los Angeles International Airport.  The center is also responsible for on-orbit check-out, testing, sustainment and maintenance of military satellite constellations and other Department of Defense space systems.

The center has an annual total budget in excess of $6.5 billion per year and employs 1,575 military members, 1,152 civilians and an estimated 900 contractors worldwide.  It manages between $50 and $60 billion in contracts at any one time.

Major programs and significant functions:
The internationally known NAVSTAR Global Positioning System.  This system provides highly accurate three-dimensional position, velocity and time data to a wide variety of U.S. and allied field forces as well as navigation data to civil and commercial users worldwide.

MILSATCOM
A space-based communications system supporting global, joint service military operations.

Space Based Infrared System
An affordable mission capability that meets the nation’s needs for infrared space surveillance.

Test and Evaluation
A central focal point for space and missile developmental testing and space flight for military experimental/prototype payloads on orbital/sub-orbital/near space launch systems.

Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
A national launch capability to reduce the cost of space launch by at least 25 percent.

Launch Programs (Titan, Atlas, Delta)
Assure affordable access to space for our nation’s medium and heavy military and national payloads.

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Supplies global visible and infrared cloud cover, and other specialized meteorological, oceanographic and solar/geophysical data to military operational commands and high priority programs.

Satellite and Launch Control System
Provides launch control for space lift vehicles, tracking, telemetry and commanding for on-orbit satellites and test support for ballistic missiles and space experiments.

Defense Support Program
Ensures earliest detection and warning of missile and space launches to National Command Authorities and operational commands.  

SMC Contracts Management
Provides advice and contract management to the space community for the timely execution of needed actions to acquire superior weapon systems. SMC manages $56 billion in space assets (contracts).

SMC Developmental Planning
Constructively influences decisions affecting future systems for the control and exploitation of air and space.

SMC Systems Acquisitions
Provides quality acquisition products, processes, tools and expertise to acquire and sustain integrated and affordable systems for the control and exploitation of air and space.  

Financial Management
Provides resource advisors and an independent assessment on the most effective and efficient programming, budgeting and execution of funding for acquisition programs and SMC infrastructure to SMC leadership.