Space Force Blasts Off? 

The United States armed forces protect the country on the ground, at sea, and in the air. Now President Donald Trump wants to add space to that list of places.

Trump recently instructed the Department of Defense to look into the possibility of a Space Force to promote “American dominance in space.” If such a force is approved, it will join the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard as the sixth branch of the U.S. military.

Here is a quick look at what we know about a potential United States Space Force.

Q: Why might the U.S. need a Space Force?

A: In short, say experts, to protect our satellites—spacecraft that have been launched into Earth’s orbit to collect and transmit data. “If a country wants to fight the United States, one of the first things it will want to do is disrupt or destroy our satellites,” says Todd Harrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Satellites allow our bombs and missiles to hit targets accurately [as well as] send information to our military forces around the world.”

Russia and China, which have the ability to destroy satellites or jam their signals, pose the biggest worries to the Pentagon, Harrison says. 

Right now, protecting satellites is mainly the U.S. Air Force’s job. Critics of a Space Force say creating a new armed services branch would take crucial funds from the Air Force. They also fear it would add another layer of bureaucracy to the military. But supporters of a Space Force say the Air Force isn’t focusing enough on space.

Harrison notes that other functions of space security are now divided among different armed forces. He says, “A Space Force would integrate all of them into one chain of command.” 

The United States armed forces protect the country on the ground, at sea, and in the air. Now President Donald Trump wants to add space to that list of places.

Trump recently told the Department of Defense to look into the idea of a Space Force to promote “American dominance in space.” If this force is approved, it will join the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard as the sixth branch of the U.S. military.

Here is a quick look at what we know about a potential United States Space Force.

Q: Why might the U.S. need a Space Force?

A: In short, say experts, to protect our satellites. Satellites are spacecraft that have been put into Earth’s orbit to collect and send data. “If a country wants to fight the United States, one of the first things it will want to do is disrupt or destroy our satellites,” says Todd Harrison. Harrison is from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Satellites allow our bombs and missiles to hit targets accurately [as well as] send information to our military forces around the world.”

Russia and China have the ability to destroy satellites. They can also jam their signals. Harrison says these nations pose the biggest worries to the Pentagon.

Protecting satellites is mainly the U.S. Air Force’s job right now. Critics of a Space Force say creating a new armed services branch would take much-needed funds from the Air Force. They also fear it would add more bureaucracy to the military. But supporters of a Space Force say the Air Force does not focus enough on space.

Harrison notes that other tasks of space security are now split among different armed forces. He says, “A Space Force would integrate all of them into one chain of command.”

Q: What would a Space Force be like?

A: You might picture astronauts armed with lightsabers or battling spaceships. Not so, says Harrison: “The people protecting our satellites would be working on the ground.” They would be in mission control centers and labs, as drone pilots are now.

At least at first. “If we establish a base on the moon, the Space Force would probably station a few space cadets there,” says Howard McCurdy, a professor at American University in Washington, D.C. 

Still, it’s unlikely that a Space Force would be traveling farther into our solar system anytime soon, Harrison believes: “That’s still science fiction at this point.”

Q: What would a Space Force be like?

A: You might picture astronauts armed with lightsabers or battling spaceships. Not so, says Harrison: “The people protecting our satellites would be working on the ground.” They would be in mission control centers and labs, as drone pilots are now.

At least at first. “If we establish a base on the moon, the Space Force would probably station a few space cadets there,” says Howard McCurdy. He is a professor at American University in Washington, D.C.

It is unlikely that a Space Force would be traveling farther into our solar system anytime soon. Harrison believes: “That’s still science fiction at this point.”

Q: Does the military have a presence in space now?

A: “The military has been in space from the beginning of space exploration,” says professor Michael Dodge of the University of North Dakota. Historians often set that beginning as October 1957. That is when the Soviet Union, America’s Communist rival during the Cold War (1947-1991), launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite. The move sparked a contest to dominate the cosmos known as the space race.

In 1958, the U.S. answered with its own satellite. That same year, it created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). While NASA’s mission is primarily peaceful exploration, the U.S. military has used the space program to conduct defense research and spy on other countries. According to Harrison, the militaries of Russia and China have even larger roles in the space programs of those countries. 

Q: Does the military have a presence in space now?

A: “The military has been in space from the beginning of space exploration,” says professor Michael Dodge, who is from the University of North Dakota. Historians often set that beginning as October 1957. That is when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first human-made satellite. This took place during the Cold War (1947-1991), when the Soviet Union was America’s Communist rival. The launch sparked a contest to control the cosmos, known as the space race.

In 1958, the U.S. answered with its own satellite. That same year, it created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA’s mission is primarily peaceful exploration. The U.S. military has used the space program to conduct defense research and spy on other countries. According to Harrison, the militaries of Russia and China have even larger roles in the space programs of those countries.

SOURCE: Union of Concerned Scientists

Q: Are there any laws that regulate space?

A: Several international laws and treaties control the use of space. The most important, experts say, is the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which the U.S., Russia, China, and other nations have agreed to.

The treaty states that all countries are free to access space for peaceful purposes. It doesn’t ban all military uses of space, but does set limits on them. “A Space Force would not be able to place weapons of mass destruction in orbit, for instance, or build military fortifications on Mars,” says Dodge. 

Q: Are there any laws that regulate space?

A: Several international laws and treaties control the use of space. Experts say the most important is the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. The U.S., Russia, China, and other nations have all agreed to this treaty.

The treaty states that all countries are free to be in space for peaceful purposes. It does not ban all military uses of space. But it does set limits on them. “A Space Force would not be able to place weapons of mass destruction in orbit, for instance, or build military fortifications on Mars,” says Dodge.

SOURCE: United Nations

Q: How would a Space Force be created? 

A: Only Congress can establish a new branch of the military. The last time that happened was in 1947, when an independent Air Force was split off from the Army.

Until recently, many key military officials had resisted the creation of a separate Space Force. That appears to be changing, however. This past August, the Pentagon gave Congress the outline of a plan that would first create a U.S. Space “Command”—meaning a fighting force dedicated to outer space. Experts say that such a unit would probably remain within the Air Force for the time being. It would then gradually lead to an independent Space Force. 

Harrison believes that’s what the Pentagon is “building the foundations” for. Right now, Congress is divided over creating the separate force. “But I think the odds are good it will eventually happen,” he says.

Whatever the case, says McCurdy, the U.S. is clearly looking to the future: “Outer space is as natural a realm of national ambition as the air.”

Q: How would a Space Force be created?

A: Only Congress can create a new branch of the military. The last time that happened was in 1947. That is when an independent Air Force was split off from the Army.

Until recently, many important military officials had resisted the creation of a separate Space Force. That seems to be changing. This past August, the Pentagon gave Congress the outline of a plan that would first create a U.S. Space “Command.” This would be a fighting force dedicated to outer space. Experts say that such a unit would probably remain within the Air Force for the time being. It would then gradually lead to an independent Space Force.

Harrison believes that is what the Pentagon is “building the foundations” for. Right now, Congress is divided over creating the separate force. “But I think the odds are good it will eventually happen,” Harrison says.

Whatever the case, the U.S. is clearly looking to the future, says McCurdy: “Outer space is as natural a realm of national ambition as the air.”