// Officer Designator · O-3 to O-10 · NATO OF-2 to OF-9

MARITIME SPACE OFFICER (1860)

The IWC community delivering space-based warfighting capability to the U.S. Navy.

Insignia

Designator

1860

Abbreviation

MSO

Community

Restricted Line

Paygrade Range

O-3 to O-10

NATO Range

OF-2 to OF-9

OVERVIEW

The 1860 Maritime Space Officer designator identifies Restricted Line officers in the Navy Information Warfare Community (IWC) who specialize in space-based warfighting capability for the maritime force — satellite communications, missile warning, position-navigation-and-timing, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance from space, and space domain awareness. Maritime Space Officers serve at U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force units, Navy Satellite Operations Center, and on numbered fleet and combatant-command staffs as space-operations subject-matter experts.

The community grew significantly after the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, which created an urgent need for Navy officers fluent in joint space operations and able to integrate space capabilities with maritime warfighting plans.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Plan and execute space operations supporting Navy fleet and joint combatant commands
Manage Navy satellite communications planning at Naval Satellite Operations Center
Serve as space-operations officer at U.S. Space Command or numbered fleet staffs
Integrate Space Force capabilities with Navy warfighting requirements

HISTORY

Navy involvement in space operations dates to the 1960s with the Naval Navigation Satellite System (Transit) and the Fleet Satellite Communications (FLTSATCOM) program. The current 1860 Maritime Space Officer designator was established to formalize a permanent Navy career path in space operations and to provide consistent Navy participation in joint space activities.

Today MSOs are the Navy's bridge to the Space Force and the joint space enterprise, ensuring that satellite communications, position-navigation-timing, missile warning, and space ISR are integrated with carrier strike group, expeditionary strike group, and submarine operations.

COMMISSIONING SOURCES

Lateral transfer from URL or IWC (primary)

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. Information Warfare Basic Course (IWBC)~12 weeks
NAS Pensacola, FL
Joint IWC accession course.
2. Space 200~5 weeks
National Security Space Institute, Peterson SFB, CO
Mid-grade joint space-operations course required for all space cadre officers.
3. Space 300~5 weeks
National Security Space Institute, Peterson SFB, CO
Senior joint space-operations course for O-5/O-6 officers.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

O-3/O-4
Lateral Transfer + Space 200
Successful URL or IWC officer transfers to 1860 and completes Space 200 at the National Security Space Institute.
O-4
First MSO Production Tour
NAVSOC, U.S. Space Command, or fleet space operations staff billet.
O-5
Senior Space Officer
Department head at NAVSOC or senior space-operations staff officer.
O-6
Senior Space Leadership
Senior leadership at U.S. Space Command, OPNAV N2/N6, or joint space organizations.

RELATED DESIGNATORS

How to address

Same as the underlying officer rank — e.g., "Lieutenant Commander Smith." Community addressed as "Space" or "1860" in writing.

Prerequisites

Lateral transfer from a URL community or other IWC designator
Successful completion of the Information Warfare Basic Course (IWBC)
Successful completion of joint Space 200 / Space 300 courses at the National Security Space Institute
Maintain Top Secret/SCI clearance

Common assignments

Space Operations Officer at U.S. Space Command, Colorado Springs, CO
Naval Satellite Operations Center (NAVSOC), Point Mugu, CA
Space and Strategic Systems Officer at OPNAV N2/N6
Joint Space Operations Center / Combined Space Operations Center liaison

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The 1860 designator identifies a Restricted Line officer in the Maritime Space Officer community — a Navy space-operations specialist within the Information Warfare Community.

No. While the U.S. Space Force (established 2019) provides national space capabilities, the Navy retains its own space-operations cadre — the 1860 Maritime Space Officer community — to plan, integrate, and employ space capabilities for the maritime force.

Most MSOs lateral-transfer from URL or other IWC communities at the Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander grade after demonstrating an interest and aptitude for space operations.

SOURCES

Last updated 2026-05-02

All Officer Designators Full Rank Structure