The Space Force has formally activated a specialized command designed to place guardians with space expertise alongside elite special operations forces. Those personnel must be physically capable of keeping pace with units such as Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets while delivering technical capabilities during missions.

Col. Peter “Charlie” Norsky, commander of the new Space Force Special Operations Command, or SPACEFOR-SOC, discussed the formation Friday with Task & Purpose and one other media outlet. The command formally activated Monday during a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida.

MacDill also serves as the home of U.S. Special Operations Command. SPACEFOR-SOC will operate from its new headquarters there while preparing guardians to support special operations units around the world.

“As we look to assign guardians to this component, especially as we look to assign them to the space special warfare teams for employment attached to other [special operations force] units around the world, we’re looking for those guardians who are expert at their craft — whether that’s operations, intel, cyber — and that they are able to maneuver with their SOF counterparts,” Norsky said.

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Technical proficiency alone will not be enough for guardians selected to work with those formations. “As the guardians stand shoulder to shoulder with their SOF counterparts, physical fitness is absolutely very important,” Norsky said.

Officials told Congress in 2025 that SOCOM had established a space focused component. They later clarified to Task & Purpose that the component had not been fully staffed or formally established.

Norsky said one objective of the command is “normalizing” the Space Force within the special operations enterprise. He said the command will integrate “guardian power at scale” into units that already conduct special operations missions.

“Space Force-SOC is about ensuring that special operations forces have space expertise integrated early during planning, preparation and execution, rather than integrating space after the fact,” Norsky said.

He said the Space Force has supported special operations for years, but the activation creates a permanent and dedicated structure. That structure will organize, train, equip and present guardians and tailored space capabilities alongside SOCOM’s other service components.

The command joins recently activated Space Force units reporting to combatant commands at the Department of War level in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. Earlier this year, the service also activated its contingent reporting to U.S. Northern Command.

U.S. Northern Command covers the United States and other portions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Canada, Mexico, parts of the Caribbean and Greenland. Norsky emphasized that guardians will not replace Army, Navy or Marine Corps special operators in existing formations.

Guardians will be able to deploy to theaters around the world, similar to Army Green Berets and Air Force pararescue special operators, according to Norsky. He declined to specify whether guardians would serve in tactical units or with battalions handling command and control behind the scenes.

“At a high level, our SOF guardians will be trained to be able to operate where and when they are needed,” Norsky said. Their principal contribution will be integrating space expertise and capabilities in direct support of the special operations enterprise.

The precise training pipeline has not yet been detailed. Officials said they will develop a program based on existing special operator assessment, selection and training pipelines used by services such as the Army and Air Force.

Norsky said SPACEFOR-SOC guardians will receive “expeditionary, tactical, and small team training” before joining elite units. The additional preparation is intended to equip them to provide capabilities required by SOCOM units operating in the field.

Guardian responsibilities will include monitoring satellite communications, protecting GPS and other navigation technology against enemy jamming, and ensuring troops receive a “timely missile warning.” Norsky also described guardians helping teams understand space and electromagnetic threats, identify vulnerabilities, and integrate resilient communications and navigation options in contested environments.

Officials declined to disclose the command’s total personnel count but said it will consist mostly of service members, with fewer civilians and some contractors. Uniformed personnel will include guardians from space operations, intelligence, cyber and acquisition career fields.

“We’re certainly not in the hundreds,” Norsky said. “We will look to grow to ensure that we are meeting the requirements to meet all the SOCOM mission sets.”

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