The United States will officially launch US Space Command today, which will work with the yet-to-be-launched Space Force
The United States will officially launch the U.S. Space Command today, which will work with the yet-to-be-launched Space Force to coordinate military operations over 100 km.
While the Space Force will deploy personnel, assets, and capabilities, Space Command is expected to plan, coordinate, and manage space operations.
The launch of the space command and the plan to launch the space forces in 2020 signal the resumption of great power competition in the 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, launch vehicles, and satellite navigation constellations.
Despite today’s milestone, the Trump administration faces the challenge of obtaining Congressional approval and funding for the Space Force, which is estimated to cost up to $ 2 billion over the next five years, on top of launch 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 spark yet another arms race as the countries seek to capitalize on the cosmos’ growing weapon.
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