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Space Force: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Bernard Schriever with models of his missiles.jpg|thumb|General [[Bernard Schriever]], father of the Air Force space and missile program]] | [[File:Bernard Schriever with models of his missiles.jpg|thumb|General [[Bernard Schriever]], father of the Air Force space and missile program]] | ||
Concerned about the development of the Soviet Union's own space forces, the Air Force advocated for a military [[human spaceflight]] program. General [[Curtis LeMay]] described strong parallels between | Concerned about the development of the Soviet Union's own space forces, the Air Force advocated for a military [[human spaceflight]] program. General [[Curtis LeMay]] described strong parallels between World War I aviation and 1960s space operations, noting how quickly flying evolved from chivalric and unarmed [[Aerial reconnaissance|reconnaissance flights]] to combat efforts designed to destroy enemy [[air superiority]]. General LeMay believed that it was naive to believe that the same trends were not expected to be seen in space and must be prepared for. Although the Air Force made significant progress in developing the [[Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar|X-20]] [[spaceplane]], [[Manned Orbiting Laboratory]], and [[Blue Gemini]], opposition from the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] prevented operational fielding. The Air Force was also forced to cancel [[Project SAINT]], a satellite inspector with satellite neutralization capabilities, when details were leaked to ''The New York Times'' in 1962. Despite these setbacks, the Air Force did successfully field the [[Program 437]] [[anti-satellite weapon]] system, which used nuclear [[PGM-17 Thor|Thor missile]]s to intercept enemy spacecraft.{{sfn|Spires|1998}} | ||
Although most military space forces were organized under the Air Force, they were still fragmented within several different major commands. Recognizing rapid growth of space forces and the need to centralize them under one command, the Air Force established [[Air Force Space Command]] in 1982.<ref name="spaceforce.mil"/> This was followed by the establishment of the joint [[United States Space Command]] in 1985, aligning Air Force Space Command, [[Naval Space Command]], and [[Army Space Command]] under a single operational commander. These two moves, along with the [[Strategic Defense Initiative]]'s establishment by President [[Ronald Reagan]], led to a renaissance of military space operations in the 1980s.{{sfn|Spires|1998}} | Although most military space forces were organized under the Air Force, they were still fragmented within several different major commands. Recognizing rapid growth of space forces and the need to centralize them under one command, the Air Force established [[Air Force Space Command]] in 1982.<ref name="spaceforce.mil"/> This was followed by the establishment of the joint [[United States Space Command]] in 1985, aligning Air Force Space Command, [[Naval Space Command]], and [[Army Space Command]] under a single operational commander. These two moves, along with the [[Strategic Defense Initiative]]'s establishment by President [[Ronald Reagan]], led to a renaissance of military space operations in the 1980s.{{sfn|Spires|1998}} | ||