SB ALL @ AFMARS < AFN1EC $ECST_0004 USAF MARS ECOM BROADCAST - NR 04 DE AFN1EC NR 005 R 020915Z APR 00 FM AFN1EC ME TO ALL USAF MARS STATIONS INFO AGA3C BT SUBJ: ECOM BDCST 00-04 SPECIAL PURPOSE NETS AND ECOM 1. USAF MARS IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE SEVERAL REGULAR NET OPERATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT ECOM OPERATIONS IF AND WHEN NEEDED. ONE OF THESE IS THE WSSN WORLDWIDE SPACE SUPPORT NET, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE WORLDWIDE SPACE DIVISION NET (WSDN), CREATED IN 1978 BY THE BASE SUPPORT TEAM AT WHAT WAS THEN LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE STATION. WSDN WAS CONCEIVED AS A RESULT OF A BRIEF, BUT CRITICAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, SHORTLY AFTER THE LAUNCH OF A DOD MISSION. 2. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE NET WAS TO PROVIDE THE USAF SPACE DIVISION COMMANDER A CONTINGENCY HF COMMUNICATIONS LINK TO HIS SUBORDINATE UNITS, INCLUDING THE LAUNCH SITES AT CAPE CANAVERAL AND VANDENBERG, THE SATELLITE TEST CENTER IN SUNNYVALE AS WELL AS THE REMOTE SATELLITE TRACKING STATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THE LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE MARS STATION, AGA6LA, WAS DESIGNATED THE NET CONTROL STATION AND CONDUCTED MONTHLY EXERCISES ON THE SEVEN SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED FREQUENCIES TO MAINTAIN READINESS, ESTABLISHING PRACTICE PHONE PATCHES BETWEEN COMMAND POSTS. 3. SINCE THOSE EARLY DAYS, MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED. DEPLOYMENT OF SPACE DIVISION DEVELOPED COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES RELIABLY INTECONNECTED THE REMOTE TRACKING STATIONS WITH SUNNYVALE, AND MADE THE PERCEIVED OPERATIONAL NEED FOR AN HF BACKUP SYSTEM SEEM LESS IMPORTANT. 4. WITH THE DOWNSIZING OF THE MILITARY, AND CLOSURE OF MILITARY MARS STATIONS,THE NET EVOLVED TO AFFILIATE STATION NET CONTROLS SUPPORTING SHUTTLE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY PLUS A WEEKLY TRAINING DRILL TO TEST PROPAGATION AND PHONE PATCH CAPABILITIES BETWEEN COMMAND POSTS WHEN AVAILABLE. 5. WITH THE EMPHASIS OF USAF MARS SHIFTING TO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, THE NET HAS ADDED STATIONS WHO CAN SUPPORT ANY AIR FORCE OR NASA FACILITY, AS WELL AS KEY STATIONS TO PROVIDE HF RELAY WHEN PROPAGATION IS TOUGH. 6. WSSN IS NO LONGER A CLOSED NET, ANY INTERESTED USAF MARS MEMBER MAY JOIN, ESPECIALLY ONES WHO ARE OR CAN BE PART OF THE BASE SUPPORT TEAM OF AN AIR FORCE OR NASA FACILITY. 7. AFTER OVER TWO DECADES OF SERVICE, WSSN CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE NATION'S SPACE PROGRAM BY "PROVIDING THE REINS OF COMMAND -- IN EMERGENCIES". WSSN ALSO STANDS READY TO SUPPORT OUR ECOM OPERATIONS WHENEVER NEEDED. A SPECIAL THANK-YOU TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SUPPORT WSSN OPERATIONS. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! 8. AIR FORCE MARS: PROVIDING THE REINS OF COMMAND - IN EMERGENCIES 9. SGD HARRY MARSTERS, NATIONAL EMERGENCY COORDINATOR/AFN1EC BT NNNN /EX