Top-ranking military officials will be gathering at Peterson Air Force Base to recognize the establishment of the new U.S. Space Command Monday morning.
The nation's highest-ranking military official, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford will be in attendance. He'll be joined by Air Force General John Raymond.
Raymond is the current commander of the Air Force Space Command and now also the commander of the U.S. Space Command.
U.S. Space Command's mission is to deter aggression and conflict, defend U.S. and allied freedom of action, deliver space combat power and develop joint warfighters to advance U.S. and allied interest in, from and through the space domain. Threats in space include anti-satellite weapons, which are capable of destroying or damaging satellites in space. This would have adverse effects and could pose major risks in our war-fighting capabilities.
"We've watched the Chinese do anti-satellite tests repeatedly since 2007," retired Air Force General William Shelton explained. "We've watched the Russians conduct space tests of their own and recently we've seen India do an anti-satellite test."
The U.S. Space Command will fall under the umbrella of the Department of Defense.
This sole focus on space ensures space operations receive full and equal consideration for Department of Defense resources, and it helps bring responsibilities for training and managing space forces under one single authority.