Space Academy is Critical Step in the Future of Warfare

When the astronauts aboard Artemis II became the first mission to fly by the Moon in 50 years, they became instant heroes. President Trump rightly honored them over the weekend for their achievement. While they were the focus of the ceremony, Trump made headlines by announcing a new service academy. If the U.S. is to win this next space race, it must take this project seriously.

Creating a new Space Academy

Recently, President Trump spoke at a ceremony honoring the astronauts who crewed Artemis II, the first voyage to circle the Moon in 50 years. Aside from the awards, Trump announced his intention to create a new service academy for the United States Space Force. Where and when this academy will operate remains to be seen, but this is the latest acknowledgement of space’s growing importance, both militarily and otherwise.

Created during Trump’s first term, the Space Force exists as an independent department under the Department of the Air Force. Similar to how the Marines operate under the Department of the Navy. With around 16,000 service members, the Space Force is the smallest and the youngest branch of the military. That does not indicate its importance, however, as modern warfare depends on space.

Many people know they depend on satellites for things like GPS, cell phone service, and weather monitoring; the military depends on these satellites as well. They provide targeting and navigational data for U.S. forces, playing a role in the global dominance of the U.S. military. Additionally, space is a potential battleground for ballistic missiles and the interceptors that hope to shoot them down. In other words, controlling space means control of the battlefield.

People as well as technology

While modern technology is making further space exploration possible, victory in the space battle will depend on people. Space remains a relatively new frontier, and the Space Force itself is relatively new. The U.S. needs to maintain its technological edge over people, but without quality leadership, these weapons will be of limited use. A major factor behind the U.S. military’s dominance is the quality of its officers, as the other academies demonstrate.

U.S. military technology is the best in the world, but without elite leadership, the tech advantage will only take you so far. As Alexander the Great said, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” Thanks in part to the training provided at service academies, the U.S. is and can remain an army of lions led by lions.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is the oldest of these academies. Initially a fort during the American War of Independence, West Point became an official military academy through legislation signed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. West Point, along with the Air Force and Naval academies, helped the United States become a world power. Service academies have produced hundreds of four-star generals, dozens of Medal of Honor recipients, and two presidents. Additionally, service academy graduates contributed to victories in World War I, World War II, and every other war the U.S. has fought.

What would a Space Academy need?

So what does the Space Force Academy need to succeed? For starters, it needs Congressional backing. As much as Trump likes to rule by executive order, a project like the Space Force Academy needs to be an act of Congress. Despite its recent aversion to doing so, Congress is a legislative body, and this is a project Republicans and Democrats should come together on.

Second, related to the first, Congress needs to allocate funding. Trump cannot allocate funding on his own; therefore, Congress must set aside money in the budget to fund the Space Force Academy. The new academy will need staff, facilities, and everything else needed to run what is effectively a university. Here is where the Trump administration has a role to play. Trump should task Secretary of War Pete Hegseth with crafting a budget that will cover everything the new academy needs.

Not a new theater – a continuation of the same one

Some may criticize the Space Academy as an attempt to expand warfare to a new level. However, war has been happening in space for many years, as it is the realm of ballistic missiles and satellites. More importantly, if the United States doesn’t militarize space, rival countries will not follow suit. If we don’t take the lead in space, it is only a matter of time before China and Russia will take the edge. That threatens U.S. security and empowers our enemies. We simply can’t afford to fall behind in space warfare.

Technological advances like AI and drones are changing modern life; warfare is no different. As companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin seek to explore the last frontier, the military applications of space will be explored as well. America’s rivals will not wait around; if the U.S. hesitates, our enemies will take the edge in space. To ensure America’s status as the global superpower, Congress must take the Space Academy seriously.

This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire.