[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 6049-6052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03345]



[[Page 6047]]

Vol. 84

Monday,

No. 37

February 25, 2019

Part II





The President





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Space Policy Directive-4 of February 19, 2019--Establishment of the 
United States Space Force
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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 37 / Monday, February 25, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 6049]]

                Space Policy Directive-4 of February 19, 2019

                
Establishment of the United States Space Force

                Memorandum for the Vice President[,] the Secretary of 
                State[,] the Secretary of Defense[,] the Secretary of 
                Commerce[,] the Secretary of Labor[,] the Secretary of 
                Transportation[,] the Secretary of Homeland Security[,] 
                the Director of the Office of Management and Budget[,] 
                the Director of National Intelligence[,] the Assistant 
                to the President for National Security Affairs[,] the 
                Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
                Policy[,] the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff[,] 
                the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration[, and] the Deputy Assistant to the 
                President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

                Section 1. Introduction. Space is integral to our way 
                of life, our national security, and modern warfare. 
                Although United States space systems have historically 
                maintained a technological advantage over those of our 
                potential adversaries, those potential adversaries are 
                now advancing their space capabilities and actively 
                developing ways to deny our use of space in a crisis or 
                conflict. It is imperative that the United States adapt 
                its national security organizations, policies, 
                doctrine, and capabilities to deter aggression and 
                protect our interests. Toward that end, the Department 
                of Defense shall take actions under existing authority 
                to marshal its space resources to deter and counter 
                threats in space, and to develop a legislative proposal 
                to establish a United States Space Force as a sixth 
                branch of the United States Armed Forces within the 
                Department of the Air Force. This is an important step 
                toward a future military department for space. Under 
                this proposal, the United States Space Force would be 
                authorized to organize, train, and equip military space 
                forces of the United States to ensure unfettered access 
                to, and freedom to operate in, space, and to provide 
                vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces in 
                peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict.

                Sec. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this 
                memorandum and the legislative proposal directed by 
                section 3 of this memorandum, the following definitions 
                shall apply:

                    (a) The term ``United States Space Force'' refers 
                to a new branch of the United States Armed Forces to be 
                initially placed by statute within the Department of 
                the Air Force.
                    (b) The term ``Department of the Space Force'' 
                refers to a future military department within the 
                Department of Defense that will be responsible for 
                organizing, training, and equipping the United States 
                Space Force.
                    (c) The term ``United States Space Command'' refers 
                to a Unified Combatant Command to be established 
                pursuant to the Presidential memorandum of December 18, 
                2018 (Establishment of United States Space Command as a 
                Unified Combatant Command), that will be responsible 
                for Joint Force space operations as will be assigned in 
                the Unified Command Plan.

                Sec. 3. Legislative Proposal and Purpose. The Secretary 
                of Defense shall submit a legislative proposal to the 
                President through the Office of Management and Budget 
                that would establish the United States Space Force as a 
                new armed service within the Department of the Air 
                Force.

                The legislative proposal would, if enacted, establish 
                the United States Space Force to organize, train, and 
                equip forces to provide for freedom of operation in, 
                from, and to the space domain; to provide independent 
                military options for national leadership; and to 
                enhance the lethality and effectiveness of

[[Page 6050]]

                the Joint Force. The United States Space Force should 
                include both combat and combat support functions to 
                enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive 
                space operations, and joint operations in all domains. 
                The United States Space Force shall be organized, 
                trained, and equipped to meet the following priorities:

                    (a) Protecting the Nation's interests in space and 
                the peaceful use of space for all responsible actors, 
                consistent with applicable law, including international 
                law;
                    (b) Ensuring unfettered use of space for United 
                States national security purposes, the United States 
                economy, and United States persons, partners, and 
                allies;
                    (c) Deterring aggression and defending the Nation, 
                United States allies, and United States interests from 
                hostile acts in and from space;
                    (d) Ensuring that needed space capabilities are 
                integrated and available to all United States Combatant 
                Commands;
                    (e) Projecting military power in, from, and to 
                space in support of our Nation's interests; and
                    (f) Developing, maintaining, and improving a 
                community of professionals focused on the national 
                security demands of the space domain.

                Sec. 4. Scope. (a) The legislative proposal required by 
                section 3 of this memorandum shall, in addition to the 
                provisions required under section 3 of this memorandum, 
                include provisions that would, if enacted:

(i) consolidate existing forces and authorities for military space 
activities, as appropriate, in order to minimize duplication of effort and 
eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies; and

(ii) not include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National 
Reconnaissance Office, or other non-military space organizations or 
missions of the United States Government.

                    (b) The proposed United States Space Force should:

(i) include, as determined by the Secretary of Defense in consultation with 
the Secretaries of the military departments, the uniformed and civilian 
personnel conducting and directly supporting space operations from all 
Department of Defense Armed Forces;

(ii) assume responsibilities for all major military space acquisition 
programs; and

(iii) create the appropriate career tracks for military and civilian space 
personnel across all relevant specialties, including operations, 
intelligence, engineering, science, acquisition, and cyber.

                Sec. 5. United States Space Force Budget. In accordance 
                with the Department of Defense budget process, the 
                Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Director of 
                the Office of Management and Budget a proposed budget 
                for the United States Space Force to be included in the 
                President's Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request.

                Sec. 6. United States Space Force Organization and 
                Leadership. (a) The legislative proposal required by 
                section 3 of this memorandum shall create a civilian 
                Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space, to be known 
                as the Under Secretary for Space, appointed by the 
                President by and with the advice and consent of the 
                Senate.

                    (b) The legislative proposal shall establish a 
                Chief of Staff of the Space Force, who will be a senior 
                military officer in the grade of General or Admiral, 
                and who shall serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of 
                Staff.

                Sec. 7. Associated Elements. (a) A Unified Combatant 
                Command for space, to be known as the United States 
                Space Command, will be established consistent with law, 
                as directed on December 18, 2018. This command will 
                have all of the responsibilities of a Unified Combatant 
                Command in addition to the space-related 
                responsibilities previously assigned to United

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                States Strategic Command. It will also have the 
                responsibilities of the Joint Force provider and Joint 
                Force training for space operations forces. Moving 
                expeditiously toward a Unified Combatant Command 
                reflects the importance of warfighting in space to the 
                Joint Force. The commander of this command will lead 
                space warfighting through global space operations that 
                may occur in the space domain, the terrestrial domains, 
                or through the electromagnetic spectrum.

                    (b) With forces provided by the United States Space 
                Force and other United States Armed Forces, the United 
                States Space Command shall ensure unfettered access to, 
                and freedom to operate in, space and provide vital 
                effects and capabilities to joint and coalition forces 
                during peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict.

                Sec. 8. Relationship with National Intelligence. The 
                Secretary of Defense and the Director of National 
                Intelligence shall create and enhance mechanisms for 
                collaboration between the Department of Defense and the 
                United States Intelligence Community in order to 
                increase unity of effort and the effectiveness of space 
                operations. The Secretary of Defense and the Director 
                of National Intelligence shall provide a report to the 
                President within 180 days of the date of this 
                memorandum on steps they have taken and are planning to 
                take toward these ends, including legislative proposals 
                as necessary and appropriate.

                Sec. 9. Operational Authorities. In order to ensure 
                that the United States Space Force and United States 
                Space Command have the necessary operational 
                authorities, the National Space Council and the 
                National Security Council shall coordinate an 
                accelerated review of space operational authorities. 
                Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the 
                Secretary of Defense shall present to the National 
                Space Council and the National Security Council 
                proposed relevant authority changes for the President's 
                approval. The National Space Council and the National 
                Security Council shall then conduct an interagency 
                review of the Secretary's proposal and make 
                recommendations to the President on appropriate 
                authorities, to be completed no later than 60 days from 
                the date the Secretary of Defense presents his proposal 
                to the councils.

                Sec. 10. Periodic Review. As the United States Space 
                Force matures, and as national security requires, it 
                will become necessary to create a separate military 
                department, to be known as the Department of the Space 
                Force. This department will take over some or all 
                responsibilities for the United States Space Force from 
                the Department of the Air Force. The Secretary of 
                Defense will conduct periodic reviews to determine when 
                to recommend that the President seek legislation to 
                establish such a department.

                Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and United States national and 
                homeland security requirements, and subject to the 
                availability of appropriations.
                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.

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                    (d) The Secretary of Defense is authorized and 
                directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, February 19, 2019

[FR Doc. 2019-03345
Filed 2-22-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 5001-06-P