The US military has created the Space Mission Force; a new team formed to operate military satellites in response to threats.
The US military has long been invested in the thought that were an international war to break out, low-orbit could become a hot zone. Now, above and beyond the Blackbird concept of the 1960s, the US military has formed the Space Mission Force which will specifically train soldiers to operate military satellites in the face of threats.
Read: NASA will purposefully destroy its Juno spacecraft to avoid pollution
General John Hyten of the US military presided over the formation of the team, stating that “Adversaries have developed and fielded capabilities to disrupt and deny the space systems we operate on behalf of the United States and our allies… Consequently, [we] must organize, train and equip our space forces in a way that maintains our vigilance. Our space forces must demonstrate their ability to react to a thinking adversary and operate as warfighters in this environment.”
US Air Force is already home to Space Command, which co-ordinates squadrons intended to defend and attack military satellites. Space Mission Force, however, will provide servicemen with up to six months of training, and four-to-six months experience alongside Space Command personnel.
Hyten believes that the US military needs to stay abreast of potential threats, and has begun training two new squadrons. The military is further investigating as to whether it needs to overhaul its space defense systems.
The news comes in the wake of a report that suggested that China had lost control of its space station, Tiangong-1.
Read: China reportedly loses control of its first space station, Tiangong-1
What are your thoughts on the formation of Space Mission Force? Should the final frontier be heavily policed by armed forces? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
