Space Force sounds like a bad ’80s B-rated movie that you’d watch on the Syfy Channel when there is nothing left. It’s either that or watch the newest Sharknado with an even dumber plot than the last one.
But, unlike Sharknado, the U.S. Space Force has a better, grander idea that will bring the U.S. into the next evolutionary phase of development and will at least have a better structure than sharks in a tornado.
Science Fiction Crushed Our Dreams
If you look back about 30 years, the world of science fiction had a bold claim. That we would be actively working and live in space during the 2000s and beyond. But, as we all can guess, that didn’t happen.
We didn’t get space colonies. We didn’t get that penthouse on the moon. And we certainly didn’t get hoverboards. So, our dreams of being the generation to finally tame the wild regions of space were left to wilt and die, like most childhood dreams.
But then came a ray of hope to revive our dreams of walking in Zero-G: The United States Space Force.
I know what some people think about this idea. It’s a waste of time, money, resources, and we’ll never have universal health care, because President Donald Trump doesn’t care about the people. But, like most things, some are only focused on the politics of the idea instead of the idea itself. Even Neil deGrasse Tyson said in a recent interview that “just because an idea comes out of Trump’s mouth doesn’t have to mean it’s crazy.” He goes on to say that the idea of a “space force” has been around for decades. The only difference is that it was Trump’s administration to push it into action.
The New Battleground
As much as it pains anti-Trumpers to hear, space is the next battleground.
According to a Department of Defense (DOD) report, China and Russia are “pursuing space warfighting capabilities” to destabilize and neutralize U.S. space assets during a time of conflict. Anti-satellite technology will be available within the next few years, and then assets like the satellites that provide intelligence, navigation, and communication to both the military and civilians will be potential targets under the new doctrine.
Imagine waking one morning and your cell phone doesn’t work. No network. No calls. No GPS.
That is the reality of warfare. Whoever has the upper hand wins.
Like it or not, space is the final battleground where the United States will have to maintain dominance and control. Russia and China have seen the future of warfare and have adopted new doctrine to match the current theaters of war. Cyberspace is an area where both Russia and China have dominated. Russia has been on a cyber crusade to undermine U.S. elections and run continued disinformation campaigns, and China runs the biggest hacking network in the world. The U.S. fell behind in cybersecurity, and we have seen the outcomes.
There Is Hope for the Future
Space Force: dumb name, great idea. The idea of the Space Force should excite anyone who would dream of the great beyond. NASA, for the most part, has been at the forefront of space exploration and doing what they can with the budget Congress could spare, but it has long been underfunded and unable to do any type of manned exploration—including putting someone back on the moon.
However, with the creation of the Space Force, all of the different space agencies and units spread throughout the armed services, and maybe even NASA, will be combined into the newly proposed Space Development Agency (SDA)or the Space Operations Force (SOF).
Under the SDA, the priorities are the creation of new designs and technologies to outcompete other nations, engineering, manufacturing and support, and streamlining the development and acquisition process for the U.S. Space Force.
As for the SOF, they will pull personnel from military communities and the general civilian population to fill jobs needed for intelligence, engineering, science, and cyber operations.
This is the greatest outcome for the hopes of future space development. Budget problems will no longer hinder space development like they have for NASA in the past. In its creation, the U.S. Space Force will have its share of the defense budget, which is already at $700-plus billion this year alone.
Companies like Space X will be given contracts to develop cheap means of transportation to low Earth orbit and beyond, which could lead to cheaper travel for the civilian sector over time. Jobs and education will grow to meet the demands for contractors, engineers, scientists, cybersecurity professionals and specialized personnel who will be needed to develop and maintain these new technologies for future generations. However you look at it, the Space Force will drive not only the United States into the future, but it will also drive the world into the next stage of human development.
It may have a bad name, but it is by far not the worst idea.
