The U.S. Space Force is the youngest and smallest branch of the United States Armed Forces. Four years after its establishment, the U.S. Space Force has expanded its career fields, adopted its own uniforms, song and logo, and established its own culture. Today, the U.S. Space Force has six active duty bases that support weather satellites, space launch missions, cybersecurity and much more.

Mission

The U.S. Space Force organizes, trains and equips space force personnel to protect and provide space capabilities to the U.S. and U.S. allies. In 2023, the U.S. Space Force established a new mission statement — “secure our nation’s interests in, from, and to space.” The new mission statement was adopted to reflect the priorities of the U.S. Space Force, which are delivering global mission operations, space superiority activities and assured space access. The U.S. Space Force achieves this mission by abiding by the Space Force values: character, connection, commitment and courage. 

History

The idea of a Space Force began in 1954 when the U.S. Air Force created the first space organization called the Western Development Division. The U.S Army and the U.S Navy were also responsible for satellite communication and navigation systems. In 1962, the U.S. Navy created the Navy Astronautics Group, which worked alongside the Western Development Division during the Vietnam War. The space components of each military branch also provided support for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) civil space program.

In 1982, the Western Development Division and the Air Force were unified under the Air Force Space Command. By 1985, former President Ronald Reagan created the U.S. Space Command, the U.S. Air Force Space Command, U.S. Navy Space Command, U.S. Army Space Command and the Strategic Defense Initiative to lead military operations in space. Reagan wanted to establish an independent U.S. Space Force under the Strategic Defense Initiative. Later, the 2001 Space Commission also advocated for an independent Space Corps in the mid-2000s. However, these plans were put on hold after the shift to the War on Terror following the 9/11 attacks. Nonetheless, space capabilities became an essential element of modern military operations. 

The proposition for establishing a U.S. Space Corps arose again in 2017 and passed the U.S. House of Representatives but died in the Senate. Two years later, the U.S. Space Force was officially established on December 20, 2019, under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which former President Donald Trump signed. On the signing day, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said, “We are at the dawn of a new era for our Nation’s Armed Forces. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force is an historic event and a strategic imperative for our Nation. Space has become so important to our way of life, our economy and our national security that we must be prepared as a Nation to protect it from hostile actions.” 

Today, the U.S. Space Force and the U.S. Air Force are a part of the Department of the Air Force and are led by the secretary of the Air Force. The military head of the USSF is the chief of space operations (CSO). As of 2023, the U.S. Space Force has approximately 4,286 enlisted service members and 4,314 officers, making it not only the youngest service branch, but also the smallest.

Structure

The structure of the U.S. Space Force plays a critical role in achieving mission success. The U.S. Space Force is organized into three main divisions: field commands, deltas and squadrons. Field commands, deltas and squadrons fall under the Space Staff, which is the headquarters for the Space Force. The structure of the U.S. Space Force is as follows: