On the Space Force

 On the Space Force

The supposed purpose of the Space Force is to protect communication, military, and GPS satellites belonging to the USA. 

So, we have many tiny objects, whirling around the earth, in orbits of 100 miles, all the way out to 22,700 miles, and maybe beyond. The last inventory I saw of stuff in space was well over 6,000 different objects. Much of this is now just junk, batteries and purposes expired. Once they are set in place, they tend to go on and on, on very predictable paths. They cannot carry enough fuel to make any fancy evasive maneuvers.

Trump seems to feel that it would be possible to send up a fleet of “space fighters” to match orbits and then be able to shoot down any hostiles that might approach. If these were manned fighters, they would need a base to refuel at and switch out pilots. If they were unmanned, they would still need occasional refueling. I doubt 38 billion would even begin to cover this.

So what are the threats to these satellites? Similar space fighters launched by hostile nations? Laser equipped Death Stars? Ground launched ICBM sized missile, with nuke or non nuke warheads? Ground based megalasers? Bombs delivered by Non-rocket spacelaunch, including railguns, aircraft assisted launches, etc? I think we can safely rule out the notion that there are space alien punks out there looking for fights.

It seems to me that, with the exception of GPS and photo recon, our main concerns are communications. Is there some other way to increase the security of our communications needs? I maintain there is. Well buried massive fiber optic lines would be relatively invulnerable.

Using the horizontal drilling techniques developed for gas and oil, the main trunk lines of the nation would be safe from nukes and the like. The economic and social benefits of such an investment in infrastructure would be immeasurable. Construction would create job growth, and medicine and education would be enhanced in amazing ways. The 38 billion Trump wants for Space Force would be much better spent on MACA, Make America Communicate Again. 

As for the satellites that might get knocked out, that are not covered by fiber cable on the ground, I would propose backup satellites, ready to launch, from either new missiles, or use some existing nuke missiles in silos.

For obvious economic reasons, Directv, Dish Network, and Hughsnet will fight these ideas tooth and nail in Congress.

For a good backgrounder on satellites, see: 
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/space_geodesy/ATLAS/gps.html