Trump Officially Establishes US Space Force with 2020 Defense Bill Signing

I didn't see this posted here on ATS so i thought i'd post. Don't know how I missed this but Trump has offically established the Space Force as the sixth branch of the military on December 20th, 2019 at Joint Base Andrews in Camp Springs, MD just outside of DC. This new branch is said to have been created to counter an ever growing aggressive Space presence. Whether the aggressive presence is terrestrial or non terrestrial isn't clarified but I'd almost bet that it's terrestrial; namely, China.

President Trump has signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and with it directed the establishment of the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as the sixth branch of the armed forces. The Space Force is part of the Department of the Air Force, much as the U.S. Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy. The new branch will be stood up over the next 18 months, military officials said. "It was nearly half a century from Kitty Hawk to the creation of the Air Force. And now it's 50 years after Apollo 11 that we create the Space Force," Trump said during signing ceremonies at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Friday (Dec. 20).

"It's a big moment. That's a big moment, and we're all here for it," he added. "Space … going to be a lot of things happening in space. Because space is the world's newest warfighting domain. Amid grave threats to our national security, American superiority in space is absolutely vital. And we're leading, but we're not leading by enough. But very shortly, we'll be leading by a lot. The Space Force will help us deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground." Trump also said he will appoint Gen. Jay Raymond to be the first Chief of Space Operations, the senior military member of the new branch. "And he will become the very first member of the Space Force," the president said. "He will be on the Joint Chiefs, which we're now expanding by one position. That's a very powerful position.

I'm pretty excited for the Space Force to become reality! Warp drives, Space lasers, etc....I gotta say that I do wonder about what goes on up there....? What does ATS think? What say you, ATS?

www.space.com...

a reply to: lostbook

It's terrestrial. China, Russia, and just about everyone else is developing an anti satellite capability. Except us. We had the ASM-135 air launched missile that shot down the Solwind P78-1 satellite in 1985, but it was determined to violate treaties and was killed not long after.

Our existing capability is pretty much solely the Standard SM-3, which was designed for an anti missile system, not satellites although it did successfully shoot down the USA-193 satellite in 2008.

Our current Space Command consists of the Navy, Army, and Air Force all having their own Space Commands operating their own satellites, a number of which overlap. The current Space Force is similar to the Marines, in that it's a separate service that will eventually have its own seat on the Joint Chiefs, but for at least the next 18 months during the stand up, it falls under the Air Force. They're currently taking Air Force personnel, but eventually they'll transfer members of all the services and transfer them to the Space Force.

Seems like the stuff we put up in space sooner or later falls to earth. A couple of old space stations and multiple satelites so far. Now having weapons on those things could be a problem if they come into the atmosphere. Or maybe some Hackers will hack into it and make it shoot at things it is not supposed to shoot at. They better put a docking station on that thing so we can send up people to fix it if it messes up. A single big solar flare can mess it up.

I am not sure that that is a good idea myself, because Russia, China, and other military countries will put some up there too once someone broke the ice.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Than you, Z. Way cool! With your experience, are you joining the Space force?

a reply to: Zaphod58

BUT, what if there were extraterrestrial reasons as well?? You can't dispute that Zaphod!

a reply to: rickymouse

You think they don't already have them up there? There have been multiple satellites that have been acting weird, including moving up to other satellites like they were in a hunter- killer profile.

a reply to: lostbook

No, my brain would melt at all the math any job with them would require.

a reply to: Arnie123

No, you can't dispute what hasn't been proven to exist.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Seems like the stuff we put up in space sooner or later falls to earth. A couple of old space stations and multiple satelites so far. Now having weapons on those things could be a problem if they come into the atmosphere. Or maybe some Hackers will hack into it and make it shoot at things it is not supposed to shoot at. They better put a docking station on that thing so we can send up people to fix it if it messes up. A single big solar flare can mess it up.

I am not sure that that is a good idea myself, because Russia, China, and other military countries will put some up there too once someone broke the ice.

True. China is already voicing its displeasure at the new Space Force. However, as I understand it, China is making rapid advancements in Space tech; especially arming satellites. So I suppose this new SF is a necessary evil.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Arnie123

No, you can't dispute what hasn't been proven to exist.

Riiiight, just like the TR3b, hmm?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: lostbook

No, my brain would melt at all the math any job with them would require.

Lol. Well, if your brain's gonna melt then best to do it at Warp speed! What a way to go! But seriously, it will require some serious math and maybe even a new understanding of Physics. Exciting times....

In all seriousness, this is one of the most important thing President Trump could have done.

By consolidating the command structures and brances associated with anything "space", we stand to benefit from a unified architecture.

I'm looking forward to the mandates and genuinly curious as to what weapons and responses will be deployed.

As the technological superpower, it is vital to protect your infrastructures and space assets, to ignore this for this long has been FOOLISH.

Anytime is see this , I think of the old cartoon "Star Blazers"

We’re off in outer space
Protecting Mother Earth
To save the human race
Our Star Blazers

originally posted by: rickymouse
Seems like the stuff we put up in space sooner or later falls to earth. A couple of old space stations and multiple satelites so far. Now having weapons on those things could be a problem if they come into the atmosphere. Or maybe some Hackers will hack into it and make it shoot at things it is not supposed to shoot at. They better put a docking station on that thing so we can send up people to fix it if it messes up. A single big solar flare can mess it up.

I am not sure that that is a good idea myself, because Russia, China, and other military countries will put some up there too once someone broke the ice.

Well said. Who will be next to start a Space Force? Will there be a Cold War in Space?

originally posted by: lostbook

originally posted by: rickymouse
Seems like the stuff we put up in space sooner or later falls to earth. A couple of old space stations and multiple satelites so far. Now having weapons on those things could be a problem if they come into the atmosphere. Or maybe some Hackers will hack into it and make it shoot at things it is not supposed to shoot at. They better put a docking station on that thing so we can send up people to fix it if it messes up. A single big solar flare can mess it up.

I am not sure that that is a good idea myself, because Russia, China, and other military countries will put some up there too once someone broke the ice.

Well said. Who will be next to start a Space Force? Will there be a Cold War in Space?

Well, if they shoot each others satelites and missile launchers in space, they won't be shooting at us citizens. The attomic missiles would need to be activated to explode, but if they do get messed up, they can drop in a city and poison everyone with radioactivity. The people who like to kill others will keep building bigger and better bombs to kill the opposing countries citizens. That way people support their governments since we get targeted.

Consider it soft disclosure

a reply to: lostbook

We've already revolutionized several fields in recent years. To the point that there's some seriously mind blowing stuff out there. It's really going to be interesting when other fields catch up.

a reply to: toysforadults

Consolidating multiple MAJCOMS is soft disclosure?

originally posted by: Gothmog
Anytime is see this , I think of the old cartoon "Star Blazers"

We’re off in outer space
Protecting Mother Earth
To save the human race
Our Star Blazers

Sorry, but its

We're off to outer space
We're leaving mother Earth
To save, the human race
Our Star Blazers

We used to race home on our bikes in the 5th grade to catch this awesome US version of Space Battleship Yamato

Natural progression to pull some things together, space will be an area that requires monitoring, planning, and eventually regular travel through.

Honestly this probably should have been done shortly after the fall of the soviet union.