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Peterson Air Force Base Holds Ceremony To Mark Opening Of Space Command

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4/AP) - A ceremony was held at Peterson Air Force Base to mark the re-establishment of the Pentagon's U.S. Space Command. President Donald Trump re-launched Space Command in December with the goal of improving the organization space operations across the U.S. military and to speed up technical developments.

Air Force General John W. "Jay" Raymond will serve as commander of the U.S. Space Command. According to a White House press release, the new command will "accelerate the United States' space capabilities to address rapidly evolving threats to U.S. space assets."

john raymond space command
Air Force General John W. "Jay" Raymond (credit: U.S. Space Command)

"We are the best in space, and now with the establishment of U.S. Space Command we are even better," Gen. Raymond stated Monday.

The initial headquarters is Peterson Air Force Base, which is also home to other units with space operations, including missile warnings. U.S. Military officials say 87 units will work to provide everything from missile warnings to satellite-based navigation for troops in the field.

However, the Pentagon is diverting $8 million in construction money from Peterson Air Force Base, to help pay for fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border. Last week, the military said the planned space control facility is among 127 projects that will be delayed or eliminated to shift $3.6 billion to the border barrier sought by President Donald Trump.

SPACE COMMAND Peterson Air Force Base
(credit: CBS)

The Pentagon had a U.S. Space Command from 1985 to 2002, but it was disbanded in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to focus on homeland defense.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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