EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- (L-R) Sterling Riggs, 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron honorary commander and Derek Lott, 29th Test Systems Squadron honorary commander, take in the view of the Emerald Coast from 143 feet up while touring the 20th Space Control Squadron’s Phased Array Space Surveillance Radar site, Feb. 20 on Eglin’s Eastern range. The radar provides space situational awareness for Air Force Space Command’s space control mission area can detect, track, and identify up to 200 satellites simultaneously. It’s the most powerful radar in the world and is the only phased array radar capable of tracking satellites in deep space orbit. The radar can track an object the size of a basketball at a distance of more than 22,000 nautical miles. The 20 SPCS is the only military unit within Walton County Florida. (U.S. Air Force photo 1st Lt. Autumn Lorenz)
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – (L-R) Major Paul Tombarge, 20th Space Control Squadron director of operations, explains to Brian Burger, 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron honorary commander, and Lt. Col. Gene Anderson, 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron commander, about some of the daily operations that take place at the site, while they take in the view from 143 feet above the ground. The face of the radar is actually covered with a giant tarp that weighs a few tons and is held into place by four pumps creating a vacuum seal. Total volume of the building is around 2.5 million cubic feet. (U.S. Air Force photo 1st Lt. Autumn Lorenz)
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- (L-R) Derek Lott, 29th Test Systems Squadron honorary commander, Lt. Col. Gene Anderson 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron commander, Jeanne Daily, 68 EWS honorary commander, and Capt. Carrie Kessler, 53d Wing Public Affairs, listen to Dennis Hausch, 20th Space Control Squadron chief of radar maintenance, explain how the 19,500 receiver antennas are aligned and what maintenance personnel have to do to replace any faultily ones. The radar site uses enough electricity to power a town of 8,000 people making it one of the leading power consumers along the Emerald Coast. (U.S. Air Force photo 1st Lt. Autumn Lorenz)
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- (L-R) Derek Lott, 29th Test Systems Squadron honorary commander; Jeanne Daily, 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron honorary commander; Sterling Riggs, 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron honorary commander; and Brian Burger, 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron honorary commander, listen to a briefing about maintaining the 20th Space Control Squadron’s Phased Array Space Surveillance Radar. According to site leadership, as the 250,000 square foot facility nears 40 years of operational acceptance, the unit’s mission is more robust and critical than ever. (U.S. Air Force photo 1st Lt. Autumn Lorenz)