A military branch for space might indeed be necessary for the United States to maintain its superpower status in the final frontier. But the Pentagon and Congress should not rush to create a Space Force without at least weighing the downsides, experts caution.
By Sandra Erwin | SPACE.com
President Trump on June 18 ordered the Pentagon to form a sixth branch of the military dedicated to space, and Congress is poised to back that request with legislation that would be included in the 2020 defense policy bill.
The president thrust the Space Force into the limelight, but neither the administration nor Congress has clearly defined its mission, said Brian Weeden, program director at the Secure World Foundation. [Military Space – Spacecraft, Weapons and Tech]
Weeden spoke on Monday at The Brookings Institution in a panel discussion on the pros and cons of having a separate military service for space.
Former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James has been one of the harshest critics of Trump’s proposal. The Space Force in her mind is the classic shiny object that distracts from the real debate. And Washington being Washington, „it is a virtual certainty that if a space force is legislated and goes through, it will consume a lot of time, a lot of effort and absolutely will be a distraction.“
In the end, „it could end up being the best thing since sliced bread,“ said James. But it would come at a huge price because it will „slow down the momentum“ in the Air Force to accelerate space investments and programs. „At this moment the focus is on getting things done,“ said James. „Suddenly the focus will shift on who is going to report to whom, and how do we get these directives written and everything that goes along with creating a brand new bureaucracy.“
Brights - Die Natur des Zweifels 