PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command provide support to NASA and the shuttle program’s mission with distinctly different but important missions.
NORAD—the bi-national command responsible for air defense of the North American air space—is ensuring airspace safety and security for the Space Transportation System -133 launch and landing, providing air patrols to enforce the Federal Aviation Administration’s Temporary Flight Restriction zones over the space shuttle and along its flight path. NORAD support will consist of fighter planes and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters enforcing the TFR.
The FAA flight restriction (depicted in illustration attached to this release), and the associated Notice to Airmen can be viewed in its entirety by linking to the FAA’s Web site at www.faa.gov, or by clicking on the state of Florida link at the top of the Web page.
NORAD is also prepared to respond to any shuttle emergency by securing the airspace over necessary Launch Abort Sites should emergency landing be required.
The safety and security of North American airspace remains NORAD's prime mission. The command retains a robust air defense posture to maintain air sovereignty over the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada. Since Sept. 11, 2001, Continental U.S. NORAD Region fighters have responded to more than 3,400 possible air threats in the United States and have flown more than 57,500 sorties (refueling, Airborne Warning and Control System, etc.) in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
U.S. Northern Command is the lead U.S. Department of Defense organization responsible for military incident support to the space shuttle. Support includes astronaut search and rescue as well as orbiter salvage and recovery. USNORTHCOM, established in 2002 and fully operational Sept. 11, 2003, coordinates U.S. military efforts to assist the space shuttle astronauts in the event of an emergency. USNORTHCOM will command and control DOD forces in the event of an emergency mainly through Air Forces Northern, which forms the core of Joint Task Force –Space Transportation System, commanded by U. S. Air Force Col. Scott Barberides.
AFNORTH is made up of operations, information command and control specialists, and support personnel who understand, focus and employ DOD’s unique capabilities. AFNORTH works with NASA, DOD installations, the U.S. military services and other U.S. government agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard to accomplish the mission. More than 400 DOD personnel are ready to support the mission, with members of AFNORTH on location in Florida monitoring and providing command and control of DOD forces. A complete list of DOD forces tasked to AFNORTH can be obtained from AFNORTH’s Public Affairs personnel, who are located at the NASA Media Services Center and the Morrell Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the launch.
The mission of USNORTHCOM is homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities. The command conducts operations to deter, prevent, defeat and mitigate threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories and interests within the assigned area of responsibility. Also, as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense, USNORTHCOM provides military assistance to civil authorities including consequence management operations.