Space Force stands up Resilient Mission Support Operations Center, strengthens missile warning, tracking capabilities through partnerships

Published July 7, 2025
By Lina Satele
Space Systems Command Public Affairs

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AFNS) --

Space Systems Command recently opened the doors to its new Medium Earth Orbit Space Operations Center at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility in Colorado. The new facility is enabling Guardians and mission partners to seamlessly monitor space-based sensors and make rapid, data-driven decisions that enhance missile warning and threat responses for the joint force.

The MSOC serves as the operational backbone of SSC’s Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking enterprise. By enabling Guardians and mission partners to assess the health and status of space-based sensors and make rapid, data-driven decisions, the MSOC ensures that critical information flows seamlessly from space vehicles to ground systems and into the hands of decision-makers. This integration enhances decision advantage and accelerates threat response across every phase of missile flight.

Left to Right) U.S. Air Force Maj. Keri Ana Clark, Strategic Missile Warning, Ground, and Integration (SNG) interim director of the Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Tools, Applications, and Processing (TAP) Lab and director of the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility (BGIF), U.S. Space Force Col. Raydon Imbo, Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking (MW/MT) materiel leader, Maj. Cameron Coon U.S. Space Force Engineer, Ana Berland, Resilient MW/MT Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) chief engineer (Parsons), and Christine McCollum, Resilient MW/MT MEO program manager (Parsons), participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Space Operations Center (MSOC) located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility (BGIF), Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy photo) — U.S. Air Force Maj. Keri Ana Clark, Strategic Missile Warning, Ground, and Integration interim director of the Overhead Persistent Infrared Tools, Applications, and Processing Lab and director of the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, U.S. Space Force Col. Raydon Imbo, Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking materiel leader, U.S. Space Force Maj. Cameron Coon, engineer, Ana Berland, Resilient MW/MT Medium Earth Orbit chief engineer and Christine McCollum, Resilient MW/MT MEO program manager, participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the MEO Space Operations Center located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy photo)

U.S. Space Force Guardians, contractors, and mission partners tour the newly opened Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Space Operations Center (MSOC) located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility (BGIF), Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy Photo) — U.S. Space Force Guardians, contractors, and mission partners tour the newly opened Medium Earth Orbit Space Operations Center located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy photo)

Members of the U.S. Space Force, contractors and mission partners tour the newly opened Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Space Operations Center (MSOC) located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility (BGIF), Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy photo) — Members of the U.S. Space Force, contractors and mission partners tour the newly opened Medium Earth Orbit Space Operations Center located at the Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, Colo., May 28, 2025. The MSOC establishes a centralized hub for MEO operations, designed to manage the flow of data from space to ground, accelerate processing, and improve the delivery of critical missile warning and tracking information to military and allied decision-makers around the globe. (Courtesy photo)

“The MSOC is the heartbeat of Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking,” said Col. Ray Imbo, SSC Resilient MWT ground system materiel leader. “Today’s threats are designed to evade detection across multiple domains, and this system ensures we can track advanced threats, including hypersonic missiles, through all phases of flight. What I’m most looking forward to is the capability the MEO system brings to the architecture and seeing Guardians and mission partners come together to bring this vision to life and confront the threat head-on.”

Imbo explained MSOC operations are vital to closing capability gaps in the current missile warning enterprise. The center enables real-time tasking, antenna scheduling, and cross-domain data fusion, empowering operators to track emerging threats more efficiently. Leveraging the advantages of the MEO orbit, the Resilient MWT constellation provides a broader field of view than low Earth orbit satellites and higher data fidelity than geosynchronous systems. The MSOC functions as a 24/7 operational hub, where Guardians and contractors process and disseminate data collected from these satellites to ensure the U.S. and its allies stay ahead of evolving missile threats.

The BGIF leverages a proven infrastructure with a rich history in data processing, achieving greater cost-efficiency and improved readiness levels to support the stand up of the MSOC. It offers a unique combination of a centralized location, pre-existing data resources, a robust communications and power infrastructure, and proximity to key technical expertise. SSC’s Strategic Missile Warning, Ground, and Integration Interim Overhead Persistent Infrared Tools, Applications, and Processing Lab also sits in this facility.

“The BGIF supports resiliency by co-locating mission critical programs, personnel, and advanced tools under one roof, allowing us to rapidly prototype, test, and integrate solutions that can outpace evolving threats,” said Maj. Keri Clark, interim director, SNG OPIR TAP Lab and director of BGIF.

Clark explained that BGIF is more than a workspace. It is a hub for cutting edge research and operational development. The BGIF houses the OPIR TAP Lab, the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution program, the Resilient Missile Warning and Missile Track effort, and the Next Gen Geosynchronous Earth Orbit program. Together, these teams fuse volumes of data to accelerate application development, enhance system survivability, and deliver next generation capabilities at mission speed.

Additionally, the OPIR TAP Lab serves as a government-owned innovation hub, providing access to critical sensor data and fostering collaboration and innovation between industry, academia, and government stakeholders.

The BGIF offers many opportunities for small businesses and non-traditional partners through the use of the Small Business Innovation Research phased contracting model under the SpaceWERX office. This collaboration enables small businesses to explore their technological potential, foster innovation, and provide the incentive for partnerships with the Space Force and SSC.

Clark summarized it well, “This isn’t just a building — it’s a mission enabler. This facility represents the future of the missile warning architecture.”