Despite the COVID-19 crisis,the new US Space Force, part of the Department of the Air Force,is to proceed with its critical missions of supporting military payload launches and responding to the outer space threat environment,a USSF spokesman told news organisations. According to MAJ Will Russell:
At this time, there are no impacts to the US Space Force mission-essential activities due to COVID-19 concerns.*
Indeed,on 26 March 2020 the Lockheed Martin Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite,AEHF-6, will be launched from Cape Canaveral on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with USSF support.As for ULA,a Lockheed-Boeing joint venture,it also is determined to forge ahead.CEO Tory Bruno said:
We have a critical role to support both national security and rare exploration opportunities.*
GEN John "Jay" Raymond is the first Chief of Space Operations,and more than 16,000 uniformed and civilian personnel, mostly from the US Air Force Space Command, have been assigned to the new armed service.More such transfers are imminent,USSF vice-commander LTGEN David Thompson said.As well, several capabilities and personnel from the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps will be transferred to the Space Force.The transfers are voluntary.
There is no opportunity for civilians to enlist in the Space Force at this time.*
The USSF has taken over the Boeing X-37B secret space plane.Its next launch is slated for April 2020.Altogether, the Space Force will launch 8-10 National Security Space Launches (NSSL) this year.*
Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are to be renamed Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, respectively.*
The necessity of the US Space Force is illustrated by the concern that China will establish a base on the Moon in 2024.It could be used to supply China with unique military intelligence,in light of China's civilian-military fusion policy.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT), Boeing (BA)
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