Army Gen. James Dickinson, leader of the U.S. Space Command, announced today that the command has “achieved full operational capacity” at its startup home in Colorado. The command is ready to take its place in the Pentagon’s unified command plan, Dickinson said.

“As the command has matured, challenges to a safe, secure, stable, and sustainable space domain have significantly increased,” Dickinson said. “Both the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation are fielding counter space capabilities designed to hold U.S., Allied and partner space assets at risk. And North Korea and Iran are in the early stages of developing their space enterprise.”

The major readiness milestone comes as Alabama lawmakers continue to press their case for Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal as the proper home for the command’s permanent headquarters. This week, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R) inserted language in the 2024 national defense budget blocking Colorado from being the permanent headquarters.

That bill blocking Colorado as headquarters is awaiting President Biden’s signature. But the president has the power to veto specific appropriations and has already publicly chosen Colorado for the permanent headquarters.

Dickinson said he made the operational capacity announcement after an in-depth evaluation of the command’s capabilities. That included the ability to execute its mission “on our worst day, when we are needed most,” the general said.

The criteria included having “the infrastructure needed… the right number of skills across the human capital” and “the necessary command processes and functions in place,” command leaders said.

The headquarters has been in Colorado since the command was started while a review process was under way that concluded Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal was the best place for the command. The two states have gone back and forth since then as to whether the headquarters should move.

“Since its establishment in 2019, USSPACECOM has been singularly focused on delivering exquisite capability to the joint force to deter conflict, defend our vital interests, and, if necessary, defeat aggression,” Dickinson said. “Thanks to the disciplined initiative of our people and the support of our joint, combined and partnered team, I can confidently say we have reached full operational capability.”

Dickinson made the announcement following what he said was an in-depth evaluation of the command’s capabilities including its ability to do its mission on “our worst day, when we are needed the most.”

The command has completed the “very first Secretary of Defense-approved operational plan for space and conducted its first 24/7 tier-I exercise in partnership with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.”

What the command actually does is provide commanders on the grounds and water “with space capabilities in support of theater operations, including weather monitoring; space control; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; position, navigation and timing; satellite communications; and missile warning.”

Reaching full operational capability (FOC) “is an important milestone,” the announcement said.

Rogers of Alabama also pointed to the command’s importance Thursday. He issued a highlight list of funding measures for various programs and bases in Alabama that led with “blocks the move of SPACECOM Headquarters to Colorado.”