Currently, space operations are run by the Air Force. Trump's administration is creating a new branch called the Space Force. 'Space Force': Trump directs Pentagon to create new military branch
The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 bans the placement of weapons of mass destruction (but not conventional weapons) in orbit, space, or on non-Earth celestial bodies. It also bans military actions on other bodies, including testing, maneuvers, and bases. Just to establish the bounds of what a United States Space Force could actually do in space. The power to actually create a USSF lies with Congress, and we all know how good the current Congress is about getting things done. Per Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States: So absent a literal act of Congress, space will remain the domain of the USAF. Today's order directs the DoD to begin preparations for creating a USSF. The last time a new branch of the United States Military was created was 1947, with the splitting of Army Air Forces from the Army. The USAAF was already a very large component of the Army and had operated independently for almost the entirety of WWII; separating it into its own branch made sense. Even that was a long process; Eisenhower became Army Chief of Staff (the senior uniformed officer in the US Army) in November 1945 and started planning for a reorganization of the Army and Army Air Force that would support the eventual legislation to split the two; which came in July 1947 and took effect in September 1947. No such preparations have been made within the USAF, and the USAF Space Command is a much smaller component than the USAAF was 75 years ago.
@Elon - seriously get a move on with the Mars project - this is going to end badly. Weaponization of space is already happening. Trump's just given it credibility which is all China and Russia need by way of justification Utter. Madness..
so he went public with it, one less thing to keep secret now. it's not like this wasn't going on anyway for the past 40 years, and it sure as hell isn't just us.
The hope for a peaceful Space only continues to fade with this kind of nonsense. The U.S. Air Force is more than capable of protecting us without a reality TV star driven Space Force drama department. I recall the premise of the 1960's show Thunderbirds was to engage in international rescues, but apparently 'Brains' is now opting for future dogfighting aces in Space.
There seems to be some disagreement as to whether Trump can order the creation of a new armed forces branch. The constitution says congress holds the power to raise and support armies. See article: link
He can't actually create the Space Force. What he has done with his Executive Order is tell Congress that the Executive branch wants a Space Force which is not just a subdivision of the Air Force. Congress can pat him on the head and tell him to go away. It probably won't happen though.
Congress should approve the Space Force... after Mexico pays for his idiotic wall; And Mars funds the Space Force....
Due to the technical and cost restraints of space travel, even orbital, I think any Space Force will take on a form more akin to the Coast Guard than the Air Force.
Space Force was back in the news today, more like entertainment news. Netflix released a trailer today of a new series based on the premise of Space Force. Apparently the series "Space Force" will try to figure out the "something" that they're supposed to be defending us from. Starring Steve Carell, this promises to be a hoot. A release date has not been set. Netflix releases trailer for Steve Carell's Trump-inspired ‘Space Force’
Netflix has finally set a release date, Friday May 29th, for all 10 half-hour episodes of 'Space Force'. The series started filming last October, with most of the scenes wrapped in January. A bit of the 'Space Force' plot as described by Netflix, “Skeptical but dedicated, Mark uproots his family and moves to a remote base in Colorado where he and a colourful team of scientists and ‘spacemen’ are tasked by the White House with getting American boots on the moon (again) in a hurry and achieving total space dominance." Somewhere I also read there's speculation that the show might include some interview style character responses, reminiscent of scenes from "The Office". It looks like they've assembled a great cast. Hopeful that this mockumentary will turn out to be entertaining. This could make for a fun Space-fan trifecta that week. May 27th, DM-2 launch, then probable docking with ISS on the 28th. 'Space Force' Season 1: Netflix Release Date & First Look - What's on Netflix
New Space Force just rolled out a system of Earth based satellite jammers. Capable of jamming enemy satellite communications in the first moments of any US involved war. Probably would jam any enemy satellite guided missiles before they could hit intended city targets.
Space Force just rolled out today on Netflix. Just watched the newest trailer. A nod to SpaceX, can't miss those retracted landing legs they've stuck on a pair of side booster rockets. Hoping to watch a real spaceflight happen this weekend, planning to binge watch in-between. So far reviews have been mostly positive. Here's Eric Berger's take, including his story of running into Steve Carell at a Hawthorne soda fountain. I laughed a lot at Netflix’s Space Force, but my inner space wonk cried
Getting back to the real Space Force. Anyone wonder if SpaceX is going to end up backing into being a military contractor, building ships and capabilities for the Space Force? God knows, we'd be better served if SpaceX built stuff for the military rather than those cost+ jokers they have now.