The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, established in December 2019. Its primary role is to organize, train, and equip space forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space by ensuring space superiority. The USSF manages space launch operations, satellite operations, space environment surveillance, and satellite defense, and partners with organizations like NASA on space domain awareness and planetary defense. Key areas of focus include missile warning, satellite communications, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Harrison presented three Space Force organizational options labeled Space Corps, Space Force-Lite, and Space Force-Heavy with total annual budgets ranging from $11,300,000,000 to $21,500,000,000.
Todd Harrison estimated it would cost the Pentagon an additional $1,500,000,000 to $2,700,000,000 over five years to stand up a new Space Force, based on the assumption that more than 96 percent of the cost would be covered from existing DoD budget accounts.
The Space Force-Lite option assumes a 35,800-person workforce drawn from the Space Corps plus additional Army and Navy personnel and a $13,400,000,000 annual budget with $13,000,000,000 coming from other services’ accounts.
The Space Force-Heavy option assumes a 48,500-person workforce that adds missile defense activities and elements of the Defense Information Systems Agency and a $21,500,000,000 annual budget with $500,000,000 identified as new funding.
The Defense Department’s political appointees generally support the establishment of the Space Force.
Doug Loverro advocates for establishing a Space Force as an independent military service.
The establishment of a Space Force could take years to develop, even if Congress votes in favor.
Elon Musk has endorsed the Space Force.
The proposed Space Development Agency would move to the Space Force if Congress approves creating a new service.
Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is drafting a legislative proposal following President Trump’s order to establish a Space Force as a new military branch in fiscal year 2020.
President Trump conceived the idea of a Space Force to ensure American dominance in space from a national security perspective.
Vice President Mike Pence indicated that President Trump will work to include legislative language to create a Space Force in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.
Pence stated that the Space Force will provide security in space to support human space exploration.
Vice President Mike Pence emphasized the need for a Space Force during a conversation with President Trump regarding American leadership in space.
The Space Force and returning to the Moon are viewed by the administration as components of American leadership in space.
Mattis indicated that defending military satellites, including GPS, would be a priority for the Space Force.
Defense Secretary James Mattis stated that the Space Force would have both defensive and offensive missions.
Patrick Shanahan is drafting two spending plans, one with a $733,000,000,000 topline and one with a $700,000,000,000 budget ceiling, to guide funding decisions for the Space Force.
Creating the Space Force will require authorization from the U.S. Congress.
The National Space Council meeting two days before 2018-10-25 was devoted almost entirely to national security space and plans to create the Space Force.