Buckley AFB, Aurora, CO.

Originally posted by 140th CES
it's my understanding that the "golfballs" track objects in space should they be launched missles, satelites, or just random debris. i have heard that they send regular reports to NASA on some of the junk (bolts, wrenches, etc.) orbiting the planet that could pose a threat to shuttle missions or the ISS.

The PAVE PAWS phased array radar system (AN/FPS-115) actually does that. Back in the 80's Beal AFB was covering the Pacific and Ottis AFS covered the Atlantic side of the U.S. If there was a missle launch Buckley would detect the launch during the burn phase of the launch and determine if it is hostile. If it was hostile, NORAD would be notified where it was headed and other info. NORAD could verify the missle launch (SLBM) or ICBM re-entry into the atmosphere by the PAVE PAWS system.
During peace time the PAVE PAWS system track space debri/satellites.
During peace time Buckley monitors forest fires, missle tests space shuttle launches. When I was in the Space Operations Center (SOC- It's where the scope dopes are monitoring the screens) in 1987 they were monitoring the temperature of Mt St Helens.
They had two name to describe an object/event that I was aware of:

Fast Walker- If an object had changing acceleration (keeps on getting faster and faster, I'm not sure if it meant temperature change also) meant a possible missle.

Slow Walker- If an object had constant acceleration (keeps about the same speed) meant something like the SR-71.

I ask the Deputy Director (the second in command in the SOC) when he was showing me the screens (which was the only time I got shown the screen by someone) if they ever seen anything weird like an UFO and he said no. There was something I read somewhere on the web that they tracked a UFO. So, I don't beleive that story. It could have happen and they are keeping it a secret. But, I don't think so.

My sister was stationed there while in the AF. She worked underground at least 12 stories down. She had to sign a 'repopulation agreement' stating that she would , in the event of ELE, have as many children with as many men as possible.

AnonATS- repopulation? That's absolute BS, you really shouldnt lie in public like that.

I know, I worked in the ADF. And yes, you need a TS with an SSBI and a polygraph to get in. That's the requirements on any job posting my the contractors in Aurora. And they are online. Mainly programmers and system administrators, from the looks of Raytheon's job board. Same as me, after I got out of the military.

As for the contractors, they write the software and design the systems, and do the maintenance on them. The military just operates the gear. Its the contractors that make it all work, which is why there are so many of them. Plus contractors tend to stay put. Military rotate evey year or two, so the real experts are the contractors and civilians there.

And if people know how old some of these satellites are, they'd also know that means some old computer and electronic gear, which means its not as automated as modern stuff. Meaning more manpower needed to keep it running.

Firstly it only goes down 2 floors, with a couple areas being 3. But the second floor is pretty well underground, no need for a third.

Second, its comm satellites - if you manage a lot of communications, you need bigger dishes for higher data rates (more bandwidth), and a lot of shielded floor space for computers.

Third, there is a ton of training that goes on there for Navy and the other services, then they move out to the fleet and know how things work without screwing them up shipboard. The Army has similar objectives to the Navy at the ADF as well.

Think about it: This is probably the only large facilitie that, by happy accident, has that density and variety of comm gear, that density of classified traffic, and yet still has room for housing, and training, and is near a major metropolitan area, whcih means its easier to get logistic support, communications lines form multiple sources, power, etc.

Most com facilities tend to be out in the boonies, and tend to be small. The ADF at Buckley is a pretty odd place in that regard. Add to that the presence of the 3/19 Special Forces (Colorado Army National Guard) on the south part of the base, a controlled military runway (for the delivery of large classfied satellite dish parts if need be), and an active Interceptor wing the National Guard there flies F-16's , and they are on warm and hot standby for air defense missions in the center part of the US, and you get the idea that its very well protected.

So it makes sense that this is a big base and lots of people, and it attracts a lot of attention - and a lot of military untis to rotate people though it for the experience with so many different things all in one place.

If you want the really spooky stuff, go looking for a place where they do noat attract attention, do not have a lot of peopel visibly, and a place ehre they keep non-military miles away from the base border.

That sure ain't Buckley, where city buses come and go in and out of the base daily.

haha I grew up in Aurora like 15 minutes from Buckley and word on the street growing up was always that those were NORAD satellites. oh children...

Im at Buckley and there isnt anything "odd" going on.

In fact, Buckley is mainly a Space Base with an active duty guard base (F16s) here....www.buckley.af.mil...

The golfballs are covered satellites for space based systems...and are covered so our 'enemies' do not know which direction they are pointing in.

Also, the base is very small. Ive been to many bases, and I cant believe how small it is.

[edit on 12/11/2008 by greeneyedleo]

This is what sucks about government contracts.

Lets say hypothetically if someone were to work on that very base and happened to be inside those spheres (there's 7 of em, not 3), that person would know that you are completely wrong but would be bound by legal agreements not to reveal publicly the innards of the spheres or even admit that he had occasion to be there as part of their job.......

That being said, if you would like a tour where you actually enter one of the larger spheres when it's off you can call 720-847-6869 to schedule one.

Originally posted by Tiloke
This is what sucks about government contracts.

Lets say hypothetically if someone were to work on that very base and happened to be inside those spheres (there's 7 of em, not 3), that person would know that you are completely wrong but would be bound by legal agreements not to reveal publicly the innards of the spheres or even admit that he had occasion to be there as part of their job.......

That being said, if you would like a tour where you actually enter one of the larger spheres when it's off you can call 720-847-6869 to schedule one.

You are right. There is false info being provided here, yet the people in the know - who work there, cant really come and and say "you are wrong and this is why" because the work being done is classified.

People are not located in the "spheres" - golfballs - unless they are doing maintenance on them. The "work" is done inside buildings within the "compound" as can be seen from any sat image. But maybe I'm misunderstanding you (possible )

reply to post by 140th CES

Buckley AFB, Colorado, or its previous designation Buckley ANG, has been used as an NSA listening post since the seventies. This is a widely known fact, seen in publication of "THE PUZZLE PALACE" (1982) ISBN 0 14 00.6748 5, by author James Bamford. On page 272, it states "...a third highly secret satellite receiving station was opened at Buckley Air National Guard Base...Known as Aerospace Data Facility of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO) appears to be a joint NSA-NRO operation...One 1974 report indicated that the intelligence data flowing through Buckley through its five radome-covered satellite dishes...". While a joint National Security Agency-National Reconnaissance Office operation is a natural marriage in intelligence sharing, the timeliness/ mission of this operation may have changed through the years. While ADF missions are still being carried out there, there could now be additional missions carried out there now, which could explain the presence of military and non-military units on base, unrelated to its primary mission as 460th Space Wing unit of the USAF, and the Colorado ANG. Most interesting among these is the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, originally based at Fort George G. Meade, MD, the home of the NSA. Additionally, the United States Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit - Colorado and Company A, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion have detachments based there, which would seem to support the theory that NSA operations are still being conducted there, and would be in the future also. (see www.buckley.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4455). This information can be viewed through public sources of information (ie: internet, publications mentioned here) and well as additional sources one may discover on one's own. The exact nature of the NSA operations at Buckley, I'm sure, may not be divulged now or any time soon. It is an interesting question to ponder, though.


[edit on 23-9-2009 by bd18packer]

[edit on 23-9-2009 by bd18packer]

[edit on 23-9-2009 by bd18packer]

reply to post by Loki


I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would share what I know.

The large golfballs are simply weather coverings for parabolic dishes. I don't remember if they are radar or communications.

A few miles away, when Lowry AFB was still actively training, I was assigned to Space Command. We were trained on a MARK III weather station which was a large self-contained weather station with a parabolic radar covered by a golf ball. We were told it was the same unit that was at Buckly.

Curiously enough, upon graduating Space Systems training as a 309x0, I was assigned to Buckly to work at the new project called GPS, which we all know today as Global Positioning System. At the time, there were only a few satellites already in orbit. Buckly was to coordinate the with the launching of the new satellites and test the new GPS system.

Buckly required a SECRET clearance only. There was no TS job available at Buckly in Space Command. Instead, I traded job assignments with someone in my graduating class and was sent to Holloman AFB, NM.

There I worked for 4th Satellite Communications Squadron. This DID require TS clearance. It was composed of six mobile units. These units were a white semi trailer built by IBM, each containing six state of the art (at the time), submarine microprocessors used for missle guidance. These units were shielded phased array radar units.

Each one of these trucks served as a self contained complete miniature backup for NORAD Cheyenne Mountain. At any given time two trucks were on base and the rest were deployed on TDY in various parts of the world. These complimented Pave Paws in areas that the permanent phased array radar stations couldn't cover. At least one unit was deployed to Kuwait during Desert Storm.

The only information that I gleaned from this assignment at the time was that my home state of Arkansas was still peppered with active Titan II missle solos even after the military states they were all deactivated, www.strategic-air-command.com... They lied. Our radar display should all active nuke missiles site in the continental US at the time, 1990.

a reply to: 10101

I know is really old thread, just in case someone is looking at it still, here is more information on Buckley...

Here is a link to Denver's ABC 7 where they did a story on Buckley Air Force Base. Too bad you don't get to see inside of the actual Satellite Readout Station, they just show inside of the radome.



Here is a video from the Air Force about Buckley Air Force Base.

originally posted by: 10101
a reply to: 10101
Here is a link to Denver's ABC 7 where they did a story on Buckley Air Force Base. Too bad you don't get to see inside of the actual Satellite Readout Station, they just show inside of the radome.

I had a hard time paying attention to the video. I was fixated on my observation that the guy at the news desks right ear is significantly larger than his left ear.

Here is more TV news coverage with Buckley Air Force Base in it...
How the battle to protect the U.S. extends into space

I have lived near Buckley for 10 years now. Nothing real unusual there. In fact it has been very quiet lately. Though for a few months there was alot of helicopter and C-130 traffic in and out of there. About a year ago British pilots were training here. I was told/not told they were training for mountain bombing. Biggest change I have noticed in ten years is the drones they use for security I assume. I have seen them more and more in the last 3 years.

6 F-16s Just took off.

Not Normal.

More TV coverage with Buckley Air Force Base in it from CNN.

Looked up Buckley AFB on Google Earth. Not much to see however any planes on the tarmac look washed, almost photoshopped. Some helos look obfuscated as well

Here is an link to an article with a video in it from Time with Buckley in it (not as good as the CNN Video) :


Article- Time- Inside Space Force


Here are miscellaneous videos about the DSP satellite that Buckley receives data from:






The movie Wargames makes a reference to the DSP satellite at 42:44 and 44:04 in the movie.

a reply to: Loki

Its a national guard base meaning very unlikely theres any top secret stuff going on. They normally wouldnt have the reserves handling that kind of stuff. Oh and every base has communications and no they dont let you near them. To be honest im surprised yhey only have 3 as you said

Plenty goes on there on all levels. Certain guard/reserve units augment the active duty counterparts. So they are working side by side on crew shifts.

It's an active duty base that has guard and reserve units as well.

a reply to: dragonridr

originally posted by: Cavrecon22
Plenty goes on there on all levels. Certain guard/reserve units augment the active duty counterparts. So they are working side by side on crew shifts.

It's an active duty base that has guard and reserve units as well.

a reply to: dragonridr

if you want to play with the top secret toys this is the wrong place. You want to be in say Wright-Patterson, Eglin, Tinker,Kirtland,Edwards,Vandeberg or even homey airport. Those will be the the top basses as far as advanced weapons systems. Where they would have all the neat toys