The Sunday Read: ‘What Does the U.S. Space Force Actually Do?’ | The Daily

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” the Sunday Read explores the U.S. Space Force and its mission to observe and protect American assets in space. With a budget of $26 billion per year, the Space Force faces the challenges of a contested and congested space domain. From monitoring space debris to developing advanced weaponry, this secretive branch of the military plays a crucial role in modern warfare and defense. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of the U.S. Space Force.

Main Takeaways

Space Force Operations and Responsibilities

• The Space Force is the newest, smallest, and most secretive branch of the US military.
• The Space Force is in charge of observing and protecting everything that belongs to America that’s orbiting above the Earth.
• The operating cost for the Space Force amounts to about 26 billion dollars a year.
• Space is considered a contested, congested, or fighting domain by the Space Force Guardians.
• There are at least 44,500 space objects, including 9,000 active satellites, and 19,000 significant pieces of debris orbiting the Earth.

The Future of Space Warfare

• The advent of potentially unbreakable quantum communication links, AI capabilities, and advanced weaponry on satellites is predicted within the next decade, turning space into a robotic battlefield.
• The lack of a dedicated team within the military’s bureaucracy that could push for specific tools in space was a concern, which the Space Force addressed.
• Nearly every aspect of modern warfare and defense, intelligence, surveillance, communications, operations, missile detection has come to rely on links to orbiting satellites.

Space Force’s Mission and Priorities

• The Space Force was created to group existing space programs and teams under a central chain of command and authorize its leaders to chart a unified future.
• Modern life is reliant on space technologies, making the work of the Space Force highly sensitive and mostly out of sight.
• The Space Force has a serious purpose despite the Steve Carell Netflix comedy series.
• The force is tasked with fighting wars in space or earth that expands into space.
• The Space Force has a larger proportion of its budget dedicated to classified spending than any other branch of the military.

Challenges and Innovations in Space

• The Space Force outfits and trains troops for potential space conflicts, scrutinizes space for dangers, and launches satellites for the Department of Defense.
• The realm Guardians patrol is a kind of structured, multi-level terrain, with Earth surrounded by three highways or three rings.
• Space Force monitors movement and tracks debris to prevent damage to Earth and satellites.
• Observation and deterrence are the main focus of the Space Force.
• Electromagnetic warfare center trains to unjam signals interfering with American planes, ships, and ground troops.

Summary

Space Force’s Role and Challenges

The U.S. Space Force, as the newest branch of the military, has the crucial responsibility of observing and protecting American assets in space. With a budget of $26 billion per year, the Space Force operates in a contested and congested space domain, facing numerous challenges. The increasing number of space objects, including satellites and debris, poses risks to both Earth and orbiting assets. The Space Force’s mission encompasses various aspects of modern warfare and defense, relying heavily on space technologies for communication, intelligence, surveillance, and more.

The Future of Space Warfare

The future of space warfare holds both promise and concern. The development of advanced technologies, such as quantum communication links and AI capabilities on satellites, opens up new possibilities for warfare in space. However, this also raises the need for a dedicated team within the military to advocate for specific tools and strategies in space. The Space Force recognizes the importance of staying ahead in this evolving landscape and aims to chart a unified future for space operations.

Challenges and Innovations in Space

Space Force’s mission involves outfitting and training troops for potential space conflicts, monitoring space movement, and tracking debris to prevent damage. The Space Force also focuses on observation and deterrence, recognizing the importance of maintaining space domain awareness. Additionally, the Space Force is concerned about cyber-defense aspects and vulnerabilities in space, as well as the growing threat of space debris. To address these challenges, the Space Force is working on innovations such as developing machines that can be refueled in orbit and satellites capable of repairing other satellites.

Conclusion

The U.S. Space Force plays a vital role in observing and protecting American assets in space. As space becomes increasingly contested and congested, the Space Force faces numerous challenges, from tracking space debris to developing advanced technologies. With its mission encompassing various aspects of modern warfare and defense, the Space Force is at the forefront of securing space domain awareness and ensuring the safety of both Earth and orbiting assets. The future of space warfare holds both opportunities and risks, and the Space Force is committed to staying ahead in this evolving landscape.