U.S. Space Force to Cost Billions

The initial cost to stand up President Donald Trump’s envisioned Space Force would be $3 billion, according to an Air Force estimate reported Sept. 18 by Defense News. That expense would be part of the total cost of $13 billion over five years for the new branch of the U.S. military, according to the report. The Air Force document, which sets out a plan to transition Air Force space functions to the new command, objects to the White House proposal to create a new high-level post, assistant secretary of defense for space, to oversee the transition, according to Defense News. (See ACT, September 2018). The Air Force document estimated costs for headquarters elements, Space Force elements, additional personnel to staff a new U.S. Space Command, and construction of a new combatant command.—TERRY ATLAS