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Military Space

Space Force Formalized (update)

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
February 19, 2019
Filed under
Space Force Formalized (update)

Keith’s note: There was a White House media telecon this morning dealing with the signing of SPD-4 to create Space Force this afternoon at 2:00 pm ET by the President. According to the senior Administration official who spoke SPD-4 establishes United States Space Force. Space is integral to our way of life and modern warfare. Our adversaries are preparing ways to use space. Space Force seeks to deter aggression and protect our interests.
Video of signing activities at the White House, CSPAN
SPD-4 will lead to legislative proposals to create a 6th branch of the DOD. Space Force will be created initially under USAF as a first step with an option to eventually set up a separate Space Force. The head of the Space Force will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Space. DOD Undersecretary of Space will appointed by president with Senate confirmation
Space Force will consolidate military authorities to prevent overlaps and duplication and will assume all military space acquisition and establish career paths. #SpaceForce Space Force will *NOT* include NASA, NOAA, NRO, or other non-military space organizations or mission of the federal government. Space Force will organize, train, and equip forces to operate in space domain, on Earth, and within the electromagnetic spectrum. Space Development Agency is not a specific part of SPD-4 but it is part of existing authority and not a focus of SPD-4.
DDO will establish a combatant command called the United States Space Command. This legislation will enable lethality of this joint Force. The Space Force Legislative proposal will deal with ranks and promotion potential to make sure everyone who transfers to Space Force. Space Force and Space Command are two different organizations. Space Force is under civilian command organize, training, equipping. Space Command will be created by DOD to implement combatant activities that Space Force puts into place.
DOD secretary will be tasked to submit a budget as part of the President’s FY 2020 budget request. DOD and DNI will issue a report of progress in 180 days. DOD Secretary will propose suggested authority changes within 90 days.
No estimates of the budget for Space Force were provided. Standing up a new branch of the military is something we have not done in 70 yeas so there will be some significant costs.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

12 responses to “Space Force Formalized (update)”

  1. Ben Lowers says:
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    I believe that Para 2 should say “… will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff”, not ‘of Space'(?). And the object of the beginning of Para 4 is “DOD…”, not ‘DDO'(?).

    Question: RE: “… make sure everyone who transfers to Space Force.” – make sure what?

    Thanks for the clarifications, as applicable!

    Me thinks that OUSD-Space is gonna be the hoppin’ place to work in the Pentagon for a couple of years…

  2. Bad Horse says:
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    Wonder if MDA will be absorbed?

    • Ben Lowers says:
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      Just conjecture, But… The way I read this announcement and the tactics over the next couple of years is, … Space Force is all about _the combatant force_… the “people”, not necessarily touching/absorbing the missile defense role, nor the SAC role, nor IC’s role. YMMV.

  3. tutiger87 says:
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    Just another way for the military industrial complex to get paid…smh

  4. DiscipleY says:
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    “Space Force will consolidate military authorities to prevent overlaps
    and duplication…Space Force will *NOT* include NASA,
    NOAA, NRO, or other non-military space organizations or mission of the
    federal government.” Just sounds like the Air Force is getting a not-unusal re-org, with an unusual rebrand. Meh.

  5. David Fowler says:
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    Where is the actual text of SPD-4?

  6. mfwright says:
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    Will there be a better logo?

    • Michael Spencer says:
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      methinks our host is having a bit of fun.

      • fcrary says:
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        The NASA-like logo was click bait from committee to re-elect the President, which they rolled out when Mr. Trump first raised the Space Force business. But I’m pretty sure the “Join US Space Force” recruiting poster is Keith’s. I sort of like it. Very Buck Rogers in the 21st Century in a retro way.

  7. Natalie Clark says:
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    Looks like the National Reconsissance Organization won’t be running the new Space Force as they were intensely lobbying. That’s great news since their hubris tends to infect everything they do.

    According to a Department of Defense proposal, the Space Force would absorb Air Force Space Command, the Army’s 1st Space Brigade, the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and Naval Satellite Operations Center. The National Reconnaissance Office would not be immediately merged in, although integration would gradually occur. Installations and facilities would remain within their current services until the Space Force achieves an appropriate operating capability. The missions of the Space Force would include space situational advantage; battle management command and control of space forces; space lift and range operations; space support to nuclear command and control; missile warning; satellite communications and position, navigation and timing. Other missions that are tangentially associated with space, such as nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, cyber operations and the total missile defense missions, would not immediately be integrated into the Space Force.

    As of February 2019, the current intention of the Pentagon is to organize the Space Force as the second military service within the Department of the Air Force, and would use a phased approach to integrate the various space forces of the Air Force, Army, and Navy into the new service. The initial headquarters would start with a staff of approximately 200 in 2020, with operational forces from the other services beginning to transfer in starting in 2021.

    • David Fowler says:
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      “Looks like the National Reconsissance Organization (sic) won’t be running the new Space Force as they were intensely lobbying. That’s great news since their hubris tends to infect everything they do.” This statement makes no sense. NRO is a largely civil satellite management organization, not the nucleus of an armed service. I never heard any such claim.