The US Space Force will use a ‘digital twin’ to simulate satellite incidents
President Biden will keep the Space Force as a US military branch
It’s not certain if the Space Force’s goals will remain the same.
President Biden is expected to roll back many of former President Trump’s decisions, but the creation of the Space Force won’t be one of them. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told Reuters and other attendees at a February 3rd briefing that the Space Force had Biden’s “full support.” The dedicated military branch isn’t about to vanish any time soon, then.
Psaki had suggested Biden wasn’t thrilled with Space Force in a briefing the day before.
Trump formally established the Space Force in December 2019. The American military already had a Space Command under the Air Force, but Trump saw a devoted Space Force as necessary to handle emerging national security threats in orbit and beyond, such as anti-satellite weapons. Critics have claimed it was more of superficial project than a meaningful change, and that wasn’t helped by the Star Trek-like imagery. However, it has conducted full-fledged missions — it’s a practical reality.
Whether or not the Space Force changes under Biden’s administration is unclear. Many expect the new President to rethink Trump-era space projects like the Artemis program as he focuses on more pressing issues like the pandemic recovery and climate change. Biden might not be as invested in the Space Force as his predecessor. However, the decision to keep the Force suggests it might remain on a steady course — much to the delight of Netflix.
(33)