Washington, October 24
There is a “good chance” that the US will formally launch its Space Force next year, President Donald Trump has said. The National Space Council has also voted to send six strategic recommendations to the president’s desk, laying out the administration’s vision and a roadmap to establish the force.
“I think we have a good chance next year of officially doing our Space Force,” Trump told reporters in a brief interaction during a meeting with military officials on Tuesday.
“Everybody in this room feels strong about Space Force,” he said, adding that “I’m talking about defence and offence”, and not just rockets going to the Moon or Mars.
Defence Secretary James Mattis said that “right now what we’re going to do is set up a combatant command”, and the military would be working with the Congress on it.
Earlier in the day, Vice-President Mike Pence said the Space Force was essential to protect the US’ assets, particularly satellites. There is an increasing threat to these from countries such as Russia and China, he said.
“The purpose of the space force will be to secure our vital national interests in space,” Pence said at an event hosted by The Washington Post.
Pence asserted that the US was going to protect its interests in space and said to understand American defence today, is to understand the interrelationship between satellite technology and aircraft, ships at sea and submarines under the sea.
“Our warfighters on the ground regularly rely on information that is obtained, images that are captured, by satellite technology,” he said.
“So, the first order of business is ensuring that the infrastructure of our satellite technology is protected. And the reality is, the more we look at our competitors in space — chiefly among them are China and Russia — we see the deployment of technologies by both of those countries — anti-satellite technologies,” Pence said.
China, not long ago, actually tested a missile that took out one of their own satellites, he said, referring to the deployment of additional and new anti-satellite technology into orbit, which are able to move in proximity to existing satellites. — PTI
The vision
- Build a Space Force like the Air Force was launched after WW II and evolve it to ensure that US remains as dominant in outer space militarily as it is on Earth
Growing threat
- Space Force is aimed at protecting US assets, particularly satellites, given growing threat from countries such as Russia and China
- In 2007, China tested a missile that took out one of its own satellites. Also, Russia assigned a part of its aerospace division to a space force
- Targeting assets involves deployment of additional and new anti-satellite technology into orbit that can move in proximity to existing satellites
What it entails
- A new unified combatant command — US Space Command — will be formed. It will establish a chain of command for operations, ensure integration across military and develop doctrine, tactics and procedures of space warfare
- The Secretary of Defence will then create a new joint organisation, the Space Development Agency, which will provide men and women of Space Force the cutting-edge warfighting capabilities
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