Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, has said the U.S. Space Force plans to establish its proposed Space Systems Command (SSC) in early 2021, Inside Defense reported Tuesday.
Raymond said at a press briefing that the service branch concluded its final planning procedures for SSC and is slated to brief U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett in the coming weeks ahead of standing up the command in spring.
He noted that SSC’s organizational structure is based on the Space and Missile Systems Center’s functions related to consolidating enterprise acquisition programs in efforts to quicken the pace of fielding technologies.
Changes in the new command also include increased acquisition authorities for lower-level officials, added Gen. Raymond.
“It builds some unity of effort and allows competition between disruptors and prototypers and more traditional acquisition organizations,” he noted. “We’re excited about how this is going to materialize.”
In October 2020, Raymond said that SSC will primarily focus on research, development and procurement efforts related to the Space Force's satellite programs and other space technology initiatives.
