posted 10-26-2023 03:46 PM               

Space Operations Command reveals 'futuristic' official painting

Space Operations Command revealed the command's first official painting during a ceremony October 20.

Above: Space Operations Command reveals 'futuristic' official painting 'High Ground Intercept', Oct. 20, 2023. (Space Force/John Ayre)

The painting was commissioned with artist Rick Herter and is titled "High Ground Intercept" for its depiction of space as a warfighting arena, now and into the future.

The artwork depicts a futuristic U.S. Space vehicle intercepting an adversary satellite, who in turn is positioning to disable a friendly satellite. The futuristic intercept vehicle has historic links to the X-20 Dyna-Soar, the first U.S. space plane design, with its low-wing delta shape and vertical winglets. The bay doors of the intercept vehicle are opening as the space plane moves into position and prepares to defend the friendly satellite.

"Because of the highly classified nature of many space operations, SpOC requested that Herter rely on historic space planes and his own imagination," explained Christopher Rumley, command historian.

Above: Mr. Rick Herter, artist, poses with Space Operations Command 'futuristic' official painting 'High Ground Intercept' at a painting reveal, Oct. 20, 2023. (Space Force/John Ayre)

Upon undertaking the historic task, Herter explained the importance of detail when it comes to delivering a product that meets his client's vision.

"The most challenging projects are when a client gives the artist a general concept of what they want but can't give specifics," said Herter. "In order to get the proportions and angles of the vehicle correct within the painting, I built a crude model of my space plane design, which I could then use as my reference point."

For centuries, artists have depicted battles and war victories to inspire national pride and record momentous acts of courage. Though challenging, Rumley expressed confidence that Herter succeeded.

Above: Space Operations Command official painting 'High Ground Intercept.' (Rick Herter)

"It was not an easy task, but Rick was able to fuse where we've been as a force with where we are going," said Rumley.

Today, the Department of the Air Force Art Collection houses thousands of pieces of art documenting the deeds of Airmen and Guardians through major conflicts, humanitarian operations, military training exercises and operations, and other subjects that encompass the Air Force's and Space Force's goals and mission.

Space Operations Command is the fight-tonight force and first Field Command of the U.S. Space Force. SpOC's mission is to protect America and our allies in, from and to space... now and into the future.

posted 09-30-2024 08:36 AM               

Space Systems Command unveils 'Space Starts Here,' first-ever official artwork

If a visual artwork can be summed up in words, then artist Rick Herter's "Space Starts Here," the first-ever official painting commissioned by Space Systems Command (SSC), makes the inspiration clear.

Above: Space Systems Command unveils "Space Starts Here," first-ever official artwork. (Space Systems Command)

The work includes a quote from American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard, namesake of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center: "It is difficult to say what is impossible, because the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow."

The quote was not far from Herter's mind as he began work on the project, commissioned for the 2024 celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Western Development Division, SSC's original predecessor organization, and the third anniversary of SSC. The art project — including the overall concept for the painting — was managed by the SSC History Office, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB).

"I grew up on a farm that was on the training route for local student pilots, and I spent many hours working in the field watching airplanes fly over and wishing I was up in those airplanes," said Herter, a professional artist since 1991. "My client really liked that (idea for) the composition and asked if I could do something similar for the 'Space Starts Here' painting."

The work, which portrays a family watching a satellite launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on California's Central Coast, was unveiled in August at a ceremony at LAAFB, where SSC is headquartered.

"The theme 'Space Starts Here' is often used at SSC to describe our space acquisition mission," said Robert Mulcahy, SSC's command historian. "We used 'Space Starts Here' as the title of the painting to suggest that not only does space start at SSC, but it can also begin with children who become inspired by the space mission and decide to follow in their parent's footsteps and later become Guardians."

With a workforce of more than 15,000 personnel across 29 locations, SSC is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient war fighting capabilities to protect our nation's strategic advantage in, from and to space. The command expects to support more than 150 launches in 2024 and as many as 200 in 2025.

The SSC-themed work is the second Herter has painted for a U.S. Space Force command; in October, his painting 'High Ground Intercept,' for Space Operations Command, was unveiled at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado. That painting, which includes a notional spacecraft in Earth orbit, depended on Herter's imagination as an artist.

"The most challenging projects are when a client gives the artist a general concept of what they want but can't give specifics," Herter said. "In order to get the proportions and angles of the vehicle correct within the painting, I built a crude model of my space plane design, which I could then use as my reference point."

For "Space Starts Here," the artist had the benefit of portraying an operation that occurs on nearly a weekly basis at Vandenberg. He has also had the whole-hearted support of Mulcahy's team, which includes historian Erik Figi — who worked closely with Herter and suggested the Goddard quote — and Layesanna Rivera, director of SSC's Heritage Center. All three are U.S. military veterans and hold graduate degrees in their fields.

The work was presented in August 2024 at Space Systems Command, headquartered on Los Angeles Air Force Base in southern California.

Above: U.S. Air Force Col. Michelle K. Idle, SSC deputy commander, left, and U.S. Space Force Chief Master Sergeant Jacqueline Sauvé, SSC senior enlisted leader, unveil "Space Starts Here," by Rick Herter, the command's first official painting. (Space Systems Command)

The SSC History Office oversees the Air Force Art program on Los Angeles AFB, and as the art custodians, we were inspired to commission a painting for SSC," Mulcahy said. "The 'Space Starts Here' painting was very much a team effort."

At the recent unveiling, U.S. Air Force Col. Michelle K. Idle, SSC deputy commander, spoke to the command's history, back to the height of the Cold War and Space Race eras.

"The environment is just as challenging today as it was when we stood up," said Idle, responsible for managing the research, design, development, acquisition and sustainment of space systems. "The 'front' has not let up — it has evolved."

Along with the summer anniversaries of Space Systems Command and its early predecessor the Western Development Division, the service is also celebrating: the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Space Force in December, and the 10th (2024) class of the Schriever Wall of Honor, a monument at LAAFB named after Gen. Bernard Schriever, who led the Western Development Division early in the Cold War. The induction ceremony for that event took place September 26, 2004 at SSC headquarters.