The Urgent Need for a United States Space Force

Hillsdale College-Imprimus ^ | January 2020 | Steven L. Kwast

[Twotone]

In June 2018, President Trump directed the Department of Defense to “begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces.” The reason for a space force is simple: space is the strategic high ground from which all future wars will be fought. If we do not master space, our nation will become indefensible.

Since that time, entrenched bureaucrats and military leaders across the Department of Defense, especially in the Air Force, have been resisting the President’s directive in every way they can. And this December, although Congress voted to approve a Space Force, it did so while placing restrictions on it—such as that the Space Force be built with existing forces—that will render it largely useless in any future conflicts.

At the heart of the problem is a disagreement about the mission of a Space Force. The Department of Defense envisions a Space Force that continues to perform the task that current space assets perform—supporting wars on the surface of the Earth. The Air Force especially is mired in an outmoded industrial-age mindset. It sees the Space Force as projecting power through air, space, and cyberspace, understood in a way that precludes space beyond our geocentric orbit.

Correspondingly, the Defense Department and Congress think that the Air Force should build the Space Force. So far, this has amounted to the Air Force planning to improve the current Satellite Command incrementally and call it a Space Force. It is not planning to accelerate the new space economy with dual-use technologies. It is not planning to protect the Moon or travel corridors in space to and from resource locations—raw materials worth trillions of dollars are available within a few days’ travel from Earth—and other strategic high grounds.

[Taxman]

I hope the first Commanding General is Buck Rogers!

[The Toll]

Illegal Ancient Aliens?

[whinecountry]

Outstanding article. Thanks for posting.

[Svartalfiar]

“Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies” ratified in Washington, London and Moscow in 1967. That leaves out China and India.

Which is a major reason that treaty (waaaay outdated) need to be revisited. Britain has dropped so far, they wouldn't be a threat to anyone. Moscow, like us, is certainly worried about China (historically they hate each other quite a bit), and I'm sure has clandestine research going on anyway. It's not like they follow the spirit of the nuke treaty. (They probably did actually follow it, as 50%+ of their stuff probably couldn't even get off the ground!)

I doubt China would add their signature to it, and even if they did, they'd ignore it even moreso than Russia. India, isn't really a threat to us (we're friendly), but there's still a chance something could go wrong. And it would be dumb for them to limit themselves by choice when the other major players already locked themselves in to the treaty.

The treaty just needs to be scrapped, period. Or, at a minimum, re-negotiated to include all spacefaring nations / those close to it.

[Svartalfiar]

Correspondingly, the Defense Department and Congress think that the Air Force should build the Space Force. So far, this has amounted to the Air Force planning to improve the current Satellite Command incrementally and call it a Space Force.

We really should. Can do it the same as the Marines - they're just part of the Navy, but operate mostly independently. Likewise, Space Force can be under the Air Force, but with a mostly separated chain of command, properties, and assets.

[minnesota_bound]

We already have a space force.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/60/88/0b/60880b6b8767d703c8683ec35e2ec260.jpg

https://cdn1us.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeekus/files/styles/main_wide/public/images/15221.jpg?itok=PHeYoJBm

[tbw2]

The U.S. Space Force has now actually gone to space
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/the-first-launch-for-the-us-space-force-is-set-for-today-from-florida/