Well, it’s official, the United States now has a sixth branch of the military. With the signing into law of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, President Trump officially established the US Space Force as the newest military service. But if you thought you could finally fulfill your dreams of becoming a space shuttle door gunner or a space cadet attending the Space Academy, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer.
While the government wants to get the Space Force up and running within 18 months, there’s still a lot that’s up in the air. The Space Force will be housed within the Air Force, much like the Marine Corps is housed within the Navy. The only forces the Space Force will have to begin with are those airmen already serving within Air Force Space Command. In future it’s anticipated that space commands from the other services will be merged into the new US Space Force. And of course, the new Space Force will likely begin recruiting of its own within the next couple of years.
For more about the new US Space Force, read this Air Force Times article.