Pence announces creation of Space Force by 2020

Vice President Mike Pence announced Thursday plans to create a U.S. Space Force as the country’s sixth military branch by 2020. In a speech at the Pentagon, the vice president echoed President Donald Trump’s sentiments that the new branch is necessary for American dominance in space, calling it “essential to our nation’s security.” Trump in June asked Pentagon officials to form a Space Force and signed a space policy directive to control space traffic.

Last year, Congress scrapped a plan to create a Space Corps within the Air Force after Pentagon officials resisted, with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis criticizing the plan in a memo sent to leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services committees. Congress would have to approve the proposal to create the first new military branch since the formation of Air Force in 1947. It is currently unclear how the responsibilities of the new branch would differ from those already assigned to the Air Force.