“The force is strong with this one.” – Obi Wan Kenobi (From “Star Wars,” referring to President Donald Trump, I’ve been told.)

President Trump has officially and formally begun the process of establishing a U.S. Space Force!

President Trump’s supporters were way out front on this, and apparently love the idea, as they shouted “Space Force! Space Force!” during his recent rally in Duluth, Minnesota.

The military, in general, relies quite a bit on space, but cooperation and coordination between the military branches leaves something to be desired.

President Trump’s idea is to create a new, standalone military branch, called “The Space Force,” whose primary purpose would be to achieve space superiority.

According to the Bloomberg Editorial Board, “Space is an increasingly critical battlefield. Across its five branches, the U.S. military uses space-based technology for navigation, reconnaissance, weather forecasting, intelligence collection, communications, command and control, precision targeting, and much else. Its reliance on satellite-guided munitions has increased with each new conflict in recent years.”

“This growing dependency also creates risks, however. Satellites are vulnerable to attack, as are the ground systems that support them.  By treaty and convention, countries have long avoided conducting strikes in space, but U.S. adversaries have been investing heavily in anti-satellite weapons for years, and with good reason, without adequate defenses, space could become an ‘Achilles’ heel’ for America’s high-tech forces.”

No single group is fully in charge of U.S. space operations. Historically, “…most responsibility falls to the Air Force.  But in practice, authorities are fragmented across some 60 different entities.  Among other problems, this has made acquiring new technology a painfully slow and expensive process, which results in the U.S. chronically sending obsolete stuff into orbit.  It has made it harder to set coherent priorities and pursue a broader strategy for space.  And plenty of critics have argued, persuasively, that the current arrangement is impeding much-needed change and innovation.”

“That said, the President must now garner the support of Congress to move on the initiative, through both funding and authorization.”

“That last part may prove difficult, but the President seemed committed to the idea when he signed a “space policy directive” last week.”

“It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space,” President Trump said at the time. “We must have American dominance in space. We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the Space Force, separate but equal.”

“A fight is ahead, on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon, over roles, missions and budgets, and creating a Space Force would be the most ambitious reorganization of the U.S. military since 1947.”

Financial services provider, Morgan Stanley, says that President Donald Trump’s proposed “Space Force” could help fuel the $1 trillion intergalactic economy.

Graham Rapier of The Business Insider, reports that, “Morgan Stanley is tracking 100 private companies poised to profit from interstellar industries.”

“Space is already a $350 billion economy, and as more investments pour into technologies like reusable rockets that make space exploration cheaper, that economy could grow to $1 trillion, especially as countries recognize the need for a space presence to maintain national security.”

Based on everything I’ve learned about “Space Force,” it seems like this is a “no brainer.” Military leaders from Sun Tzu (author of “The Art of War), to General George S. Patton all know the value of commanding the high ground.  What higher ground is there than space?  Knowledge is power, and our key to communications and knowledge these days travels via our satellites.  If we can’t protect our satellites and limit the satellite usage by others, we are not in a favorable position.

In addition, having one group coordinating our overall space-based technology usages and operations, as well as development and procurement, is reason enough to justify Space Force.

“If you ain’t first, your last.” – Reese Bobby (Ricky Bobby’s dad in the movie “Talladega Nights – The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”)

That is especially true in the case of controlling space.

This is a concept whose time has arrived.

Say it with me, “Space Force! Space Force! Space Force!”