Well supposedly, the money would come from already existing space endeavors in the US military. Admittedly, there would be start-up costs, and absolutely new uniforms and insignia, that is essential to esprit-de-corp. All the Astronaut Corp should transition to the new Space Force (except of course, “mission specialists”, which have a long (in space terms at least) tradition dating from Shuttle, and refer to temporary scientists, technicians, or politicians (or teachers? etc) that may go to space on US Space Force Assets. And all of the existing (mostly Air Force and NSA) space programs would also transition, along with their personnel. To make it really as powerful as the US Air Force, as the President specified, all the existing NSA spy satellites and analysis of those would have to be incorporated into the new Space Force, as well as all the personnel that the NSA uses to analyze all their super-secret space data. Almost all of this money already exists. The failure of this initiative would occur if none of the existing branches (and especially the NSA) are willing to give up any of their capabilities or assets. There is absolutely no use in creating a Space Force if all their capabilities are merely duplicates of existing programs.
If you have ever worked for NASA, or been a contractor for NASA, or know what the letters in NASA stand for, or saw a rocket one time somewhere, or wrote about rockets you built as a teenager, the media thinks you’re a rocket scientist and will call you that whether you like it or not. There are worse things, I guess, but I’m not sure what it might be.
Having to admit you never got around to writing up the results is worse. I did some of the analysis of data from the Deep Space 1/PEPE instrument, on the plasma environment produced by an operating ion thruster. I think that would qualify as rocket science. But the results were more of a curiosity than something of practical value, my time was shifting more and more into Cassini work, and I never ended up publishing. So now, when someone calls me a rocket scientist, I have to say, “no, I almost was, but…”
Their ambitions in space, in regards to military space, are one of the drivers to spin off the U.S. Space Command into the U.S. Space Force. Since it would impact those ambitions to dominate space they will of course be interested, and are probably seeking ways to derail it.
I think Keith did a good job answering questions with some detail but not too much as he implies nobody knows fully what those are (as Keith said he cannot read Trump’s mind). And giving some general answers that are flexible for the future.
I thought was interesting about Trump casually said let’s have a space force and everyone replied “ok.”
Of course the big question is where will all the money come from? I see it as those making the decisions don’t have to be concerned about that because it is not their money and they will be done with working in DC when the consequences hit. Overall looks like the “space program” will get a boost, or will it simply be more money to existing programs?
Well supposedly, the money would come from already existing space endeavors in the US military. Admittedly, there would be start-up costs, and absolutely new uniforms and insignia, that is essential to esprit-de-corp. All the Astronaut Corp should transition to the new Space Force (except of course, “mission specialists”, which have a long (in space terms at least) tradition dating from Shuttle, and refer to temporary scientists, technicians, or politicians (or teachers? etc) that may go to space on US Space Force Assets. And all of the existing (mostly Air Force and NSA) space programs would also transition, along with their personnel. To make it really as powerful as the US Air Force, as the President specified, all the existing NSA spy satellites and analysis of those would have to be incorporated into the new Space Force, as well as all the personnel that the NSA uses to analyze all their super-secret space data. Almost all of this money already exists. The failure of this initiative would occur if none of the existing branches (and especially the NSA) are willing to give up any of their capabilities or assets. There is absolutely no use in creating a Space Force if all their capabilities are merely duplicates of existing programs.
Since this is based on spinning the U.S. Space Command off as the new service (i.e. New Name, Same job). It already has a budget.
http://spacenews.com/sn-mil…
If you put NSA assets under it, then of course that budget will be moved to it as well. But the U.S. might want to keep part of that secret.
The “U.S. Space Command” has not existed since 2002.
Well spoken. But rocket scientist?
If you have ever worked for NASA, or been a contractor for NASA, or know what the letters in NASA stand for, or saw a rocket one time somewhere, or wrote about rockets you built as a teenager, the media thinks you’re a rocket scientist and will call you that whether you like it or not. There are worse things, I guess, but I’m not sure what it might be.
Having to admit you never got around to writing up the results is worse. I did some of the analysis of data from the Deep Space 1/PEPE instrument, on the plasma environment produced by an operating ion thruster. I think that would qualify as rocket science. But the results were more of a curiosity than something of practical value, my time was shifting more and more into Cassini work, and I never ended up publishing. So now, when someone calls me a rocket scientist, I have to say, “no, I almost was, but…”
I designed actual spacecraft so …
I’m intrigued by the CGTN logo, i.e. China Global Television Network. Maybe China is more interested than the US?
Their ambitions in space, in regards to military space, are one of the drivers to spin off the U.S. Space Command into the U.S. Space Force. Since it would impact those ambitions to dominate space they will of course be interested, and are probably seeking ways to derail it.
I think Keith did a good job answering questions with some detail but not too much as he implies nobody knows fully what those are (as Keith said he cannot read Trump’s mind). And giving some general answers that are flexible for the future.
I thought was interesting about Trump casually said let’s have a space force and everyone replied “ok.”
Of course the big question is where will all the money come from? I see it as those making the decisions don’t have to be concerned about that because it is not their money and they will be done with working in DC when the consequences hit. Overall looks like the “space program” will get a boost, or will it simply be more money to existing programs?