"Once again I will say this. By 2025, you will not be able to recognize our world with the changes coming. This only one of them. Exciting times are ahead if we handle this change correctly. That is our biggest challenge - to make sure we do."
Oh boy! Now El Presidente has really gone completely off his rocker! What a nut ball! Well - not really. It turns out this idea to establish a United States Space Command is neither new nor original. In fact, both Russia and China are well on their way to establishing their own military space programs. And this idea has been kicking around the DOD long before our 45th President was sworn in.
Seems there is more in space than just meets the eye. As some expert explained it recently, over the past two decades, we have off loaded just about everything digital up to our satellites. So much so, if an attack would happen to destroy or disable a good portion of our satellites, our nation could be dark and silent in a heartbeat.
What? Another threat? We were just trying to get used to cyber attacks! Well this is kind of the same thing. Whereas a cyber attack can take out a grid, ATM network, or whatever using ones and zeroes, a satellite attack can come from a ground launched or space launched ASAT (anti-satellite weapon). One might think we have decades to prepare for such an event. But Russia has already demonstrated it can take out one of its own "dead" satellites with an ASAT. (BTW - it caused quite a mess when they did - a huge debris cloud which is another hazard for satellites or astronauts.)
Truthfully - we kind of already have a Space Command. It is part of the Air Force. So getting the infrastructure in place for a new command at the Pentagon will be messy from a bureaucratic standpoint, but not so much a functional one. Will it happen by 2020 as Trump has requested? Probably not. But President Trump will drive Congress to make sure it does happen on his watch (assuming he has another term).
There are many other missions a Space Command could do once activated. For example, once mining starts on the Moon (and that, is right around the corner), it will be up to our Space Command to ensure our miners are safe from pirating. Really? Pirating? What will be mined from the Moon (Helium-3), will be worth a mint.
Also our Space Command can give an extra layer of protection from rouge ICBM attacks. It could truly be the real Star Wars defense that Ronald Reagan used to back down the Soviets in the 1980's.
Anyhow, my only complaint is once again, we are late to the party. This initiative should have been started shortly after Obama took office. If it had been, this would all be done by now, and we would not be playing catch up with the Russians and the Chinese.
Once again I will say this. By 2025, you will not be able to recognize our world with the changes coming. This only one of them. Exciting times are ahead if we handle this change correctly. That is our biggest challenge - to make sure we do.
Evidence is mounting that the White House rollout of a so-called “space force” is simply a way for Trump’s re-election campaign to rake in more cash.
ReplyDeleteThe Pentagon has shown little to no intention of indulging Trump’s fantasies of a new, space-oriented branch of the U.S. military on par with the other five branches of the armed services.
But within one hour of Mike Pence’s speech at the Pentagon Thursday about the supposed “space force,” the Trump campaign sent an email urging supporters to pick a logo for campaign gear.
The email, signed by Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, said, “As a way to celebrate President Trump’s huge announcement, our campaign will be selling a new line of gear.”
My new personal campaign slogan is "Survive til 2025". I would like to see if all your 2025 predictions come true.
ReplyDeleteTrump is right to warn that we might be attacked from space someday, and of the need to be ready for it. But we are being attacked from cyberspace right now, and that demands an immediate response.
ReplyDeleteA cyber force does not have to be a huge undertaking; somewhere in the range of 5,000 to 10,000 dedicated personnel, as opposed to the half a million in the Army alone.
The key is putting them under a unified command with a unique service culture and keeping them working in this sphere indefinitely, just as we do with a nuclear submariner or a fast-attack jet pilot or any other specialized military occupation.