Space Force is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for activities in and operations of space. Its mission is to protect the interests of the United States in space and provide for the defense of the nation from attacks from space. The Space Force was established on December 20, 2019, when President Donald Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The Space Force is part of the Department of the Air Force, which is itself a part of the Department of Defense.
The Space Force has its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is currently led by Chief of Space Operations General Jay Raymond. The Space Force has a budget of $15 billion for fiscal year 2021. It consists of 16,000 active-duty personnel and 7,000 reservists. As of March 2021, there are 40 active-duty generals and admirals in the Space Force.
The primary missions of the Space Force are to defend U.S. assets in space and conduct space operations that enable other combatant commands to fight and win wars on Earth. In carrying out its mission, the Space Force works closely with other branches of the military as well as civilian agencies such as NASA and commercial companies involved in space activity.
The organizational structure of the Space Force includes four main components: Headquarters USAF (including A11), Field Command (FC), Direct Reporting Units (DRUs), and Support Units (SUs). The DRUs report directly to FC while SUs report up through HQ USAF chains-of-command structure; both perform assigned missions unique to their organizations within specified guidance from HQ USAF/A11 policies & procedures or direct orders from FC commanders/designated representatives
DRUs include:
* Joint Functional Component Command forspace (JFCC SPACE) – provides operational direction & executes integrated plans across warfighting domains including cyberspace
* 24th Air force(24 AF) – conducts ISR supporting global combatant commander objectives & homeland defense; develops & operates advanced technologies; provides cyber warfare capabilities
* USSF – protects U_S national security interests by providing resilient & cost effective access to safe harbor in cislunar domain; provides critical capabilities required for long term sustainability beyond low Earth orbit including developing capabilityto detect track characterize & mitigate manmade objects orbiting earth * National Reconnaissance Office(NRO) – manages America’s overhead reconnaissance architecture consisting primarily satellites collecting imagery intelligence signals intelligence along with associated ground infrastructure
SU’s include:
supporting units like Headquarters Air Combat Command at Langley AFB Virginia which focuses on air superiority fighters bombers command & control tankers electronic warfare airborne early warning rescue helicopters unmanned aircraft systems