Colorado’s political leaders are applauding the U.S. Air Force’s decision to have Schriever Space Base serve as the home of Space Delta 15. The news comes as concerns mount that the incoming Trump administration may try and move Space Command Headquarters to Alabama.
Space Delta 15 is responsible for the U.S. Space Force’s command and control organization, which focuses on protecting and defending space through integrated Space Battle Management. Its work also involves intelligence and cyber capabilities.
Sen. Michael Bennet said expanding operational capability in Colorado is essential to national security. There are currently about 35,000 workers in the space ecosystem in Colorado ranging from NASA and private industry employees to members of Space Command and U.S. Space Force.
The Delta 15 mission was already operating from Colorado Springs prior to the Air Force’s latest decision.
“Delta 15 must continue its mission at Schriever Space Force Base to preserve our military readiness and protect our superiority in space from Russia and China's growing hostility,” Bennet, who serves on the Senate Intelligence committee, said in a statement.
Sen. John Hickenlooper said the decision made sense.
“Colorado is the epicenter of our national security operations in space. We’re proud of the thriving space ecosystem that makes this leadership possible, including the fully operational Space Command,” he said in a statement.
Rep. Doug Lamborn, who serves on the House Armed Service committee, was pleased the Air Force kept DEL 15 in his district, centered in El Paso County.
“Colorado will continue to play a vital role in securing our nation's space operations and national security,” the district’s retiring representative said in a statement. “Delta 15 is one of two Deltas that provide command and control capabilities to Space Forces, Space (S4S), and the Service Component to USSPACECOM. Having Schriever Space Force Base as the preferred location will enable Delta 15 to directly integrate and support the National Space Defense Center (NSDC). A strong NSDC is critical because space situational awareness is more important now than ever."
Most of the rest of Colorado’s congressional delegation, including Reps. Lauren Boebert, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen and Yadira Caraveo, also praised the move.
Gov. Jared Polis applauded the move and said he is looking forward “to becoming Delta 15’s permanent home on top of Space Command and many other critical installations that ensure our nation’s safety.”
But the fight over Space Command headquarters may not be over. Alabama lawmakers have been fighting the move since President Biden decided to keep the headquarters in Colorado in July 2023, citing the best interest of national security and peak readiness in the space domain. The command reached full operational capability in Colorado Springs at the end of last year.
Colorado lawmakers have pushed back on the idea that the command will move to Alabama. Colorado Springs’ new Rep.-elect Jeff Crank said he will work with the delegation to keep the command at Petersen Space Force Base.
Trump made the decision to send Space Command headquarters to Alabama in January 2021, during his last week in office. He reportedly overruled his military advisors who recommended the command stay in Colorado. The move was viewed by many as rewarding Alabama for backing him in 2020. Trump has lost Colorado in all three of his presidential runs.
