3

I heard after coincidentally asking a ex-marine that there is talk the United States congress of passing legislation to create a space combat unit.

Even though the motivation is clear from protecting from intercontinental missiles, other space station weapons and weaponized satellites, and possible alien attacks and meteors, humanity lacks even the basic space ships for outer space maneuvering much less combat vacuum suites for coordinated defense and offense, so such a complex plan must be far away.

However, it appears that the United States spends much more of its government funding on its armed forces than its space program housed at NASA, so it may happen sooner if a majority of those resources were directed to this space combat program.

Overall, can anyone formally reference what this space combat legislation entails if it actually exists?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

Yes, there have been talks to create the United States Space Corps as a sixth branch in the US Armed Forces.

The House Armed Services Committee proposed the new military branch in this year's National Defense Authorization Act which was passed by the House. However, the Senate and the White House doesn't seem to be supportive of the plan, citing that it's unnecessary to change the force's existing space efforts. The bill has to be passed by the Senate before it becomes law.

The branch's responsibilities are detailed under Chapter 809 of the bill, titled "SPACE CORPS". It will basically absorb all current space missions of the United States Air Force, if created.

Their duties, as quoted from the bill, include:

  • (1) protecting the interests of the United States in space;
  • (2) deterring aggression in, from, and through space;
  • (3) providing combat-ready space forces that enable the commanders of the combatant commands to fight and win wars;
  • (4) organizing, training, and equipping space forces; and
  • (5) conducting space operations of the Space Corps under the command of the Commander of the United States Space Command.

The full text of the bill can be viewed here.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .