Thule Tracking Station (TTS)

Greenland / Udenfor kommunal inddeling / Pituffik /
 military, United States Air Force, satellite/space tracking station

Callsign: POGO

Thule Tracking Station (TTS) is the home of Detachment 3 (Det 3) of the 22d Space Operations Squadron. Det 3 is the largest and northernmost unit of eight worldwide satellite tracking stations in the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). The 22d Space Operations Squadron, a unit of the 50th Space Wing, headquartered at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, operationally controls Det 3 within the AFSCN.

Detachment 3, also known as Thule Tracking Station (TTS), was first designated as Operating Location 5, 6594th Test Wing (Satellite), Air Force Systems Command, on 15 October 1961. Originally a classified location, TTS was declared operational on 30 March 1962. Thule Tracking Station has grown from a single, van-mounted antenna in 1961, to four operational antennas performing functions for customers of the AFSCN. Since 1961, the site has performed over 500,000 satellite contacts.

On June 1, 1997, Det 3 came under the control of 22 SOPS. On May 1, 2004, the 22nd Space Operations Squadron was realigned under the newly established 50th Network Operations Group.


Det 3 has three Automated Remote Tracking Station systems [AN/FSQ-151(V)] operating three antennas ranging in size from 23 feet (10 meters) to 46 feet (14 meters) in diameter. Det 3 is so far north that it can communicate with polar orbiting satellites on every revolution around the Earth but is not positioned to communicate with satellites in geostationary orbit.

www.thule.af.mil/units/
www.sanelson.com/TTS.htm
www.thuleab.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   76°30'57"N   68°36'0"W

Comments

  • thuuuuuuuuulllll-LEE!
  • I was at pogo in 1969 1970 I am looking for photoes fs the tracking station. I was with philco ford tech rep division. Lost all photoes of station in fire,thank you. smurf01@epix.net
  • was at ol 5/ pogo in 69-70 same as above new email smurf01@ptd.net
  • I was at OL-5 68-70. No photos, just memories. Albert Gardner ibspud@roadrunner.com
This article was last modified 6 years ago