One piece of the plan includes establishing a new space combatant command to establish a chain of command for the new branch once the next budget and NDAA have been passed by Congress. The Secretary of the Defense will then be expected to create a joint organization to detangle regulation and speed up space technology development.
The National Space Council and National Security Council will also be expected to review current space operational authorities and explore changes to create future guidance to give more flexibility to war fighters.
“We will forge a new era of peace through strength in outer space,” Pence said. “President Trump has stated forcefully a truth that the leaders of the National Defense University have long understood: That space is a war fighting domain, just like the air, land and sea, and America will be just as dominant there as we are here on earth.”
The move follows a June announcement from Trump to launch the department as one method of addressing concerns about possible future threats from Russia and China.
