Scientists and military forces have historically vied for dominance in the realm of space exploration. Early astronauts were primarily military test pilots, and NASA expanded the size of the space shuttle to accommodate the spy satellites that the Pentagon sought to deploy. It took over a decade for the Department of Defense to make available topographical maps obtained during a classified shuttle mission for scientific use.
Recently, budget discussions in Washington have highlighted a shift in this uneasy balance, favoring military priorities once more. A House Armed Services subcommittee has recently approved a proposal to establish a new “Space Corps” within the Air Force. This entity would operate separately from NASA, the nation’s civilian space organization, aiming to prevent the diversion of space funding to other military endeavors, such as operations in Afghanistan or the procurement of new fighter jets. Representative John Rogers, the subcommittee chair, emphasized the goal of consolidating talent and resources. Although the proposed reorganization does not have a specified budget, it would impact salaries and financial allocations.
The concept of a separate space branch was initially suggested by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2001. His commission proposed integrating this branch into the military framework, similar to the Army or Air Force. However, the aftermath of 9/11 led to the shelving of this idea.
In the present landscape, both China and Russia possess significant capabilities in space, including the potential to disrupt terrestrial missile launches. Notably, China conducted an operation where it destroyed one of its own satellites to assess its capabilities in a space conflict, as outlined in a 2015 report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Victoria Samson, of the Secure World Foundation, noted, “It used to be that space was a sanctuary… Now there’s a genuine concern that the foundation of our national security could be compromised at crucial moments.”
The proposed plan, which has garnered support from Rogers but faced opposition from Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, emerges amidst rising military space expenditures. According to Jeffrey Hoffman, a former astronaut, ensuring the protection of space assets is paramount. While many perceive the militarization of space through the lens of offensive weapons, Hoffman asserts that the primary concern should be the defense of critical communication and navigation systems.
This commitment to defense necessitates funding. Air Force leaders are advocating for a 20% increase in budget allocations for space initiatives, which includes a request for $7.7 billion in the 2018 federal budget submitted by the Trump administration. This funding proposal allocates $4.3 billion for research and development, and $3.4 billion for acquisition efforts. Meanwhile, the budget for NASA is proposed at $19.1 billion, supporting over 17,000 staff members and grants to 10,000 academic researchers.