Navy Space Command

The U.S. Navy previously had the Naval Space Command (NSC) that was active from 1985 to 2002 as the Navy component of U.S. Space Command, before that organization was restructured and merged with United States Strategic Command by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.[1] The functions of the NSC were then divided between several other organizations, with the command initially becoming part of the Naval Network Warfare Command in July 2002 (which became the "Naval Network and Space Operations Command").[2] In late 2003 the Defense Secretary requested that the Navy transfer all of its space functions to the Air Force, and by the end of 2004 they were given to the Air Force's 20th Space Control Squadron, while the NNSOC reverted to its original name.[3] Prior to its dissolution in 2002, the Naval Space Command headquarters had about 300 personnel.[2]

The Chief of Naval Operations ordered the creation of the Navy Space Command (NAVSPACECOM) on 26 April 2019 to serve as the naval component of the reestablished U.S. Space Command. On 6 March 2022, a letter from the CNO intended for NAVSPACECOM to become a separate command under the leadership of the commander of United States Fleet Cyber Command. The position of Commander, Navy Space Command, was formally established on 1 January 2023,[4] though it was already being used as of 2020 by the head of Fleet Cyber Command.[5] The head of Fleet Cyber Command and its operating component, the U.S. Tenth Fleet, is also the commander of Navy Space Command.[6] The Navy Space Command is tasked with space domain operations to provide the Navy with global communications connectivity and targeting capability from the sea floor to space, through the usage of space assets, together with its other partners in U.S. Space Command.[4][7]