Congress Looks at Creating Space Corps. as Fifth Branch of the Military

In these tense times of geopolitical strife, there are intense competitions for dominance on air, land, sea and now more than ever space.  Last week the House Armed Services Committee gave an overwhelming 60 to 1 approval vote that would create the Space Corps.   As part of the immense piece of legislation known as the National Defense Authorization Act, the Space Corps. would be a new military arm responsible for overseeing assets and missions in space as a branch of the Air Force.  Alabama Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who leads a space-focused subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, believes the Pentagon is neglecting its duties above Earth because military brass are overly focused on land, sea and air engagements instead of emerging threats in space.

Air Force Not on Board

Under the proposed bill, it will be a presidential responsibility to appoint a branch chief of staff of the Space Corps with a six-year term, who would be on equal footing with the Air Force’s chief of staff.  This might be why this bill has ruffled a few feathers with senior Air Force officials, who view this as an unnecessary and inefficient change in the force’s existing space efforts.  They believe their own Air Force Space Command, which has close to 40,000 combined troops and civilian workers, efficiently covers the military’s navigation, communication, cyber operations and missile warning systems.

Not Close to Being a Done Deal

There are some major hurdles before a new Space Corps. military branch comes to fruition.  The Senate, does not include it in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, and senate aide tattletales informed CNN the proposal will be scrutinized carefully before the two chambers combine their prospective bills.