The United States Space Force (USSF) is a relatively recent organization. Founded on December 10th, 2019 by then-president Donald Trump, the Space Force works to research, protect, and establish control of the space surrounding our planet. As it is so new, many citizens the Space Force protects barely know about how it works nor how important it is becoming.

Like the other military branches, the Space Force is based out of the Pentagon. Because of how recently it was formed, it doesn’t have as developed of infrastructure as the other military branches, meaning it shares bases with the US Air Force. The USSF has 5 independent bases, with two in Colorado, two in California, and one in Florida. The largest base is located in Vandenberg, California. This base is spread over 99,604 acres. It operates about 16 launching facilities and has the second largest airfield runway of the US military. 

Because the Space Force and Air Force are so similar, the Space Force plans on leveraging 75% of the tasks of the Air Force to avoid unnecessary duplication. The USAF manages the USSF in a similar way the US Navy manages the US Marines. Many individuals from the Air Force have also been transferred to the Space Force, especially individuals who specialize in high-altitude missions. This is because the responsibility of operations of the American military in high-altitude conditions is shifting from the Air Force to the Space Force.

The most important operation of the USSF is arguably the monitoring of ballistic missile launches across the globe. This is important as ballistic technology is developing all over the world. It is important for us to learn where these missiles are. In the chance one is ever targeted towards America, the USSF can track and predict its path. It can also deflect these missiles and is working on developing additional defense methods.

The Space Force also manages all military satellites. This means they control the communication throughout the military. They are also able to ensure constant global monitoring of threat levels, which helps determine the operations of the other military branches. Satellites also provide the other branches with navigation and weather data for the land, sea, and sky.

The future of space exploration and discoveries is something that the USSF plans to play a big part in. Currently, select members of the USSF, called Guardians, are training to become astronauts. This would allow more ambitious manned space missions. The USSF plans to use these missions to research how space affects the human body, how certain materials react to space, and potentially return Americans to the moon.