US Space Command will launch this month, ahead of Trump's Space Force.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Stupidsecrets

They used other methods to navigate in the 60s, like LORAN and INS. Neither is even close to GPS in terms of accuracy. Satellite tech in the 60s didn't support a GPS system. It's popular to believe the military is way ahead, but they really aren't.

(Shhh...the bad guys are listening)

Ahem...::speaks inappropriately loudly:: "ITS MORE LIKE 40-50 YEARS. WE WERE FLYING STEALTH BOMBERS IN THE KOREAN WAR."

Point being - Zaph is probably right, but we probably like for everyone to believe we're super far ahead of what is openly known. I would venture a guess that we (and everyone else) purposefully mislead spies as well, by letting them find snippets appearing to indicate highly advanced tech (which doesn't exist.)

a reply to: dogstar23

Absolutely irrelevant, if they were listening and they are not. No one is on ATS to gain any actual valuable intel. Seriously, not in that context...


DARPA Study Forecasts New Encryption Ending Intelligence Surveillance

So new we'll publicly have a space force. Great!

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: smurfy

All the branches have had a Space Command for decades. The Space Force is not going to be anything like McKinnon allegedly found though, as much as that will disappoint people. It's a consolidation of space assets and programs to defend ours and make theirs go away.

I've been "out of service" for more than two decades and our communications chief was a LTC from AF Space Command back in the nineties.

ganjoa

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Development and implementation are worlds apart. The first positioning satellite was Traveler, which was only capable of once an hour updates. The first actual GPS satellite didn't launch until 1978.

They've also had UAVs since the 1800s. That doesn't mean the military is flying around in super advanced spaceships or are 30 years ahead.

originally posted by: Arnie123
Trump is correct though, he is just spotlighting the issue and getting people to talk.

Already, we have misconceptions about our abilities both current and upcoming.

We already have space assets, but a bonafide branch specifically for Space all on its own with the same exposure as all the other branches, I think that's what Trump was referring to.

I'm all for it. We need to dominate the upper domains because that is where our adversaries will be at, this will culminate into higher forms of war.

Space is supposed to be free from conflict, however Trump did say that the, 'Space Force ' would be used defensively and offensively, but seeing what the Chinese did...which was really stupid, single minded and short sighted, how is weaponry in space going to protect anyone when you consider that the Chinese 'experiment' could have wiped out much of the current infrastructure, which is what the World runs on, not a single country...any back and forth with weaponry in space will leave the world back to the stone age with all the collateral damage. There is no high ground to be achieved.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Yes but does the Space Command personnel wear Silver Jumpsuits with matching boots?

a reply to: smurfy

China, Russia, and Japan are all working on space based ASAT weapons, while also working on ground based systems. France and India are also working on ground based systems. In the event of another major war, space based infrastructure is going to be hammered. We can either work on our own systems and capabilities, or do nothing.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: smurfy

China, Russia, and Japan are all working on space based ASAT weapons, while also working on ground based systems. France and India are also working on ground based systems. In the event of another major war, space based infrastructure is going to be hammered. We can either work on our own systems and capabilities, or do nothing.

Doing nothing could just be the right thing in this area, and yes, I know what others are doing...India though did the chump thing too.
What is needed is to embarrass chump like behaviour in the eyes of the world...otherwise we all go down the tubes...that's inevitable, no matter what grandstanding is done.

a reply to: smurfy

And if we do nothing, and the SHTF, we lose everything we have in orbit and handicap our warfighters. That's a great way to ensure lots of casualties in a major war.

I can see it now

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: smurfy

And if we do nothing, and the SHTF, we lose everything we have in orbit and handicap our warfighters. That's a great way to ensure lots of casualties in a major war.

You've already said that there has been plenty going on in US military circles, now you want to back up a president who is a warmonger anyway.

a reply to: smurfy

Burying our head in the sand isn't going to suddenly stop the world from developing military capability. It never has in the past and it won't in the future. When the entire world is developing capabilities that affect how you fight, you don't stop developing that capability.

Japan is considering developing an ASAT:

the-japan-news.com...

France wants orbital lasers:

www.thedrive.com...

India conducted an ASAT test:

www.nytimes.com...

Russia has been working on the Nudol ASAT:

nationalinterest.org...

Then there's China:

en.wikipedia.org...

China's include lasers.


Space weaponization is here and people saying otherwise are full of shbt.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
So new we'll publicly have a space force. Great!

Great, Yes, but what is actually needed is a base on the moon.
The space station is falling apart.

a reply to: RedmoonMWC

Sounds like there are already a few bases there. Maybe if India got on board with the program and picked a more neutral zone it will help the chances of a landing.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Stupidsecrets

They've also had UAVs since the 1800s. That doesn't mean the military is flying around in super advanced spaceships or are 30 years ahead.

Respect, but does that mean the USS Kraken story was definitely BS ?
I like a good story and I try to be open-minded however it seems you are closing the door on it even being a possibility. (or not military-run). Curious.

a reply to: Moley

The USS Kraken was a diesel sub. There's more to space than we're being told, but not large interstellar craft, or even large craft in our solar system.