The United States will officially launch US Space Command today, which will work with the yet-to-be-launched Space Force to
The United States will officially launch US Space Command today, which will work with the yet-to-be-launched Space Force to coordinate military operations above 100 km.
While the Space Force will provide personnel, resources, and capabilities, Space Command is expected to plan, coordinate, and manage space operations.
The launch of Space Command and the plan to introduce the Space Force in 2020 signal the resumption of great power competition in cosmos – Russia and China also have military capabilities in space. Both countries have made significant strides in recent years, including improving intelligence and surveillance capabilities, space missiles, and satellite navigation constellations.
Despite today’s milestone, the Trump administration faces challenges in gaining Congressional approval and funding the Space Force, which is estimated at up to $ 2 billion over the next five years, on top of the start-up costs of up to 4 . $ 7 billion.
Although the new military unit will initially be a division of the Air Force, the Space Force will ultimately be established as the sixth branch of the US armed forces. With Russia and China undoubtedly considering similar measures, Space Command and the launch of the Space Force could ultimately fuel another arms race as countries seek to capitalize on the cosmos’ growing armament.
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