| Ka'ena Point Satellite Tracking Station | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Force Satellite Control Network | |
| Kaena Point, Oahu, Hawaii in the United States of America | |
) Antennae at Ka'ena Point | |
) Shield of the Peterson-Schriever Garrison | |
)  Ka'ena Point Location in Hawaii | |
| Coordinates | 21°33′41.0″N 158°14′21.2″W / 21.561389°N 158.239222°W |
| Type | Satellite tracking station |
| Area | 153 acres (62 ha) |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Department of Defense |
| Operator | United States Space Force |
| Controlled by | Space Operations Command (SPOC) |
| Condition | Operational |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1959 |
| In use | 1959 – 2019 (US Air Force) 2019 – present (US Space Force) |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 21st Space Operations Squadron (Detachment 3) |
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The Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station is a United States Space Force installation in Kaena Point on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is a remote tracking station of the Air Force Satellite Control Network responsible for tracking satellites in orbit, many of which support the United States Department of Defense, receiving and processing data and in turn, enabling control of satellites by relaying commands from control centers.
The station originally opened in 1959 to support the Corona (satellite) reconnaissance program.
Detachment 3, 21st Space Operations Squadron, part of Space Delta 6, operates Hawaii Tracking Station on the site. It was constructed in 1959, one of three built that year. The facility is placed near the westernmost point of the island of Oahu, atop a 1,500-foot (460 m) high ridge. The two radomes are locally known as the "golf balls", and are a popular landmark for fishing vessels in the surrounding waters.
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Yokohama Bay state park is at the base of the ridge, with a hiking trail that goes to the point and around to the northern side of the ridge, to Mokuleia Beach. The station roadways provide access to state hiking and hunting trails, as well as a camping site about 10 miles (16 km) inland called Peacock Flats by permit only. Permits to enter through the station to hike, hunt, or camp on the surrounding State lands can be obtained from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources in downtown Honolulu.
External links
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. HI-97, "Ka'ena Point Satellite Tracking Station, Ka'ena Point, Wai'anae Mountains above Keawaula Bay, Waialua, Honolulu County, HI", 10 photos, 22 data pages, 2 photo caption pages.