Trump Directs Creation Of 'Space Force' As Sixth Branch Of Military

President Trump Monday announced he will create the Space Force, a new military branch he says is, "So important for our military.

That's a big step", he said in the White House East Room during a meeting of his National Space Council Monday.

Trump tells military members at Miramar Air Station in San Diego, California that space is a war-fighting domain. General Dunford's staff has not responded to questions from Quartz about the order or how it will be implemented.

The directive seemed to take defense officials by surprise.

The creation of a new branch of the military can not happen from one day to the next, as Congress would have to pass a law authorizing it first. "It is going to be something so important", said Mr. Trump. Mr Putin, too, has aspirations for a military role in space. The text of the directive signed by the president at the conclusion of his remarks has not been released.

Trump has floated creating a Space Force for months, but the idea goes back at least a year to a proposal by Rep. Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala., and Rep. Jim Cooper, D. It includes more than 36,000 personnel around the world that provide space and cyber capabilities for the Defence Department.

The United States in 1969 signed the Outer Space Treaty - officially the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies - banning space warfare, one of 105 nations now party to the agreement.

NASA is planning a series of lunar missions from next year.

Rather, a Space Force would consolidate command of the military's existing satellite systems into a single command. The document sent to Congress said the review will look at research, capabilities, acquisition and joint warfighting needs, and will assess "whether the Space Corps concept should be implemented".

"Colorado Springs is the epicenter of national security space, and the Pike's Peak Region is ready to support this national effort to secure the final frontier for ours and future generations of Americans", Lamborn said.

He also vowed to return the United States to the moon and to reach Mars.

However, because the treaty does not specify conventional weapons, countries such as the U.S., China and Russian Federation are looking into ways to expand defenses to space - such as anti-satellite missiles, etc. "And I was not really serious, and then I said what a great idea, maybe we'll have to do that".

With an emphasis data sharing initiatives, the administration hopes to tap into commercial space know-how in tackling the challenge of a low-Earth orbit increasingly crowded with communications satellites and space junk.

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