Space Force stands up new special operations HQ

Space Force now has its own special operations headquarters, according to an internal memo reviewed by Axios.

Why it matters: The Space Force has taken on key roles in recent military operations, and the new headquarters will further weave the service branch into future high-level missions.

• Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said in January that space assets paved the way for helicopters to land during the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
• Caine also said in March that space forces were the "first movers" during the start of Operation Epic Fury and that they disrupted "Iran's ability to see, communicate and respond" through means like jamming and electromagnetic warfare.

Zoom in: Space Force Special Operations headquarters was "activated" as a component field command on Oct. 7, according to the internal memo.

• A Space Force official confirmed the memo was authentic.
• Component field commands "integrate space activities into shared operations, activities, and investments," the service has previously said.

Zoom out: The establishment of the headquarters follows Space Force creating component field commands tied to the Middle Eastern, European, African and Pacific theaters.

• U.S. Special Operations Command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. It wasn't immediately clear where the Space Force's new component field command will be based.

What they're saying: Charles Galbreath, a senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute think tank and a former Space Force officer, said the SOCOM component "is another major milestone in the growth of the Space Force."

What's next: Space Force Gen. Douglass Schiess, the chief of space operations, said in a LinkedIn comment that there would be a "stand up ceremony in a few weeks."