It was known as the Thule Air Base until 2023, when it was renamed to recognize Greenlandic cultural heritage and reflect its role in the relatively new U.S. Space Force.

U.S. officials says the new name is an important nod both to the base’s ties to Greenland and its people, as well as its importance within the U.S. Space Force.

The base, located north of the Arctic Circle, is critical to U.S. and NATO missile warning and space surveillance operations. "The President recently ordered a change to the Unified Command Plan.

The base is locked in by ice for nine months of the year, but its airfield remains open all year round. It is in constant darkness from November to February and constant daylight from May to August.