18th Space Defense Squadron, Det. 1 Mission 18th Space Defense Squadron, Detachment 1, is a component of Space Delta 2 (DEL 2), located at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, approximately 20 miles east of Colorado Springs. Det. 1 will provide combat focused understanding of on-orbit adversary threats within operationally relevant timelines in support of space superiority operations. The Joint Task Force-Space Defense, and its National Space Defense Center, provide unprecedented unity of effort with the Department of Defense, Intel Community and National Reconnaissance Office to protect and defend against threats in the space domain. Through this partnership, the JTF-SD brings to bear the full force of the U.S. Government and synchronizes space superiority planning and operations. In unified action with mission partners, the 18th SDS Det. 1 will deliver a timely and threat-focused understanding of the space situation in direct support of the JTF-SD’s protect and defend mission. Det. 1 will provide a crew force to perform service-provided Space Domain Awareness (SDA) functions on NSDC designated objects of interest in support of the combatant command. Location 18th SDS Det. 1 is co-located with the JTF-SD at Schriever SFB, Colorado. History The 18th Space Defense Squadron Det. 1 was activated during an assumption of command ceremony at Schriever SFB, July 14, 2022. U.S. Space Force Maj. Nathan Glandon took the reins as the inaugural 18th SDS Det. 1 commander. In April 2022, the squadron, formerly known as the 18th Space Control Squadron, was re-designated as the 18th SDS to signify increased focus on space domain awareness, command and control, integrating and synchronizing SDA capabilities in support of the contested and congested domain, and collaboration with allies and partners. The 18th SDS, located at Vandenberg SFB, California, provides the nation and its allies frontline defense of the space domain. With the establishment of the U.S. Space Force, 18th SDS was administratively aligned under DEL 2. SDA remains a top mission priority of U.S. Space Command and its two subordinate commands, the Combined Force Space Component Command and the JTF-SD. (Current as of April 2024)