Abstract
The United States Space Force was established in December 2019 as the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. At the same time, the United States reestablished a dedicated space command structure—the U.S. Space Command—to centrally coordinate space assets and conduct military operations supported by space-based capabilities. These initiatives are intended to integrate national-level space resources and to accelerate the development of space warfighting capabilities.
Against the backdrop of intensifying great-power competition, control of the space domain has emerged as a critical strategic issue. The establishment of the Space Force marked the first instance among advanced industrialized nations of creating an independent military service dedicated to space operations. The United States currently continues to possess the world’s largest and most technologically advanced space resource architecture. Beyond the military domain, the Space Force has also strengthened cooperation with other government space-related organizations, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition, the United States has begun sharing space-related information with its allies and forming space operational partnerships, thereby enhancing international cooperation in the space domain.
In response to the increasingly intense competition and challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party in space, the integration of space resources and the establishment of dedicated command-and-control mechanisms can be regarded as a critical first step for the United States in securing and sustaining its strategic advantage in the space domain.