United States President Donald Trump has signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, authorising the establishment of Space Force which would become the sixth branch of the armed forces.
"Last night I was so proud to have signed the largest Defense Bill ever. The very vital Space Force was created. New planes, ships, missiles, rockets and equipment of every kind, and all made right here in the USA. Additionally, we got Border Wall (being built) funding. Nice!" Trump tweeted.
Space Force would become the youngest US military branch, and the first new service since the establishment of the US Air Force back in 1947.
Quoting John Raymond, the commander of US Space Command and Air Force Space Command, CNN reported that as many as 16,000 active-duty airmen and civilians currently in the Air Force Space Command will be assigned to the Space Force, though "those personnel will not actually become members of the Space Force and will remain in the Air Force for the time being".
The Space Force would be part of the Department of the Air Force.