The Trump administration, led by Vice President Mike Pence, proposed establishing a Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military by 2020. This was driven by concerns about increasing adversarial threats to US satellites and space capabilities. A series of recommendations, approved by the National Space Council, outlined a roadmap for its creation, including establishing a militarily integrated US Space Command and a Space Development Agency.
The proposal faced significant criticism. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) argued it would create costly bureaucracy and wasn't the best approach to national security. Others, like astronaut Mark Kelly, deemed it a “dumb idea,” as the Air Force already handles these responsibilities. Concerns were raised about the militarization of space and the potential for escalating international tensions.
Proponents, including Vice President Pence, highlighted the growing threats from nations like Russia and China, who are developing technologies to disrupt US space systems. They argued that space has become a war-fighting domain requiring a military presence. While acknowledging the UN Outer Space Treaty's restriction on weapons of mass destruction in space, Pence emphasized that the treaty doesn't prohibit military activity.
Critics like William Hartung argued that focusing on space as a “war-fighting domain” is the wrong approach. He advocated for building on past efforts to establish rules of the road in space and stressed the importance of international cooperation to ensure a safe space environment. He highlighted the potential for escalating costs and the risk of deploying space-based weapons.