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STRATCOM’s top officer visits USAFA

By Laurie Wilson, Aug. 11, 2018

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — The commander of U.S. Strategic Command said Aug. 10 that space research at the Air Force Academy benefits the Department of Defense and the nation.

Speaking at the Academy’s Space Systems Research Center during his visit, Gen. John Hyten encouraged cadets and faculty to continue to view space as a professional enterprise.

“Learn how this business works,” he said. “Learn how space integrates with air, ground and sea. Make sure you look at your projects from a military and warfighting perspective moving forward.”

At the research center, cadets updated the general on FalconSAT, the Academy’s small satellite engineering program that conducts space missions for the Air Force. At the SSRC, cadets build, test and operate satellites funded by Academy industry partners.

“You’re the future of the Air Force — I’m the past,” Hyten said. “This is a technical business and it takes a lot of work to be technically superior and stay ahead of our adversaries.”