The Biden Administration backs Trump-created Space Force and return to the Moon

The US Space Force, promoted and created by former President Donald Trump, is not up for debate and has the "absolute and full support of the Biden Administration". 

Nor is there any hesitation in the continuation of the Artemis programme, in which the US government and industry, together with its international partners, are working in coordination "to send another man and woman to the surface of the moon". These are the words of White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki during her last two media briefings. 

The United States Space Force (USSF) was the one that presented the greatest misgivings for Joe Biden's leadership team. A new autonomous military organisation, Trump fought tooth and nail throughout most of his term in office to get Republicans and Democrats to support its implementation without fissure. 

Created in late 2019 to safeguard US and allied interests in space, its purpose is to maintain space superiority and protect terrestrial and orbiting infrastructure against hostile surprise attacks. It has between 80 and a hundred secure communications, navigation (GPS), spying and warning platforms in service, essential tools for ensuring Washington's global leadership in the face of China and other emerging powers. All provide vital intelligence for White House decision-making and for the Pentagon to direct its military operations. 

It has now become clear that this important defensive shield "is not under review", as confirmed by the main communications associate of the man who has been in charge of the US for the past 15 days. Jen Psaki cleared up the doubts and unease that she herself sowed on February 2, when a journalist asked her if the White House supported the permanence of the Space Force, an issue that she was unaware of at the time, was unable to answer, and which she has now taken it upon herself to put to rest.

The clarifications expressed two days ago are likely to be ratified shortly by President Biden himself at one of his upcoming official events. The reason for the misgivings about the dismantling or continuation of the world's largest military structure dedicated to organising, training and equipping the space arena is a personal commitment of Donald Trump himself, against all odds. 

When Joe Biden won the presidential election, doubts arose in the Department of Defence and in Washington's political sectors as to whether or not the new occupant of the Oval Office would be in favour of its continuity. Some even suggested reintegrating it into the Air Force, from which it was disbanded and from which the vast majority of its 16,000 personnel, facilities and means of action originate.  

As for the Artemis project to return to the moon, it was the Trump Administration that put it on the table, after discarding the plans of Barack Obama to take astronauts to a near-Earth asteroid, an intermediate goal for transporting human beings to the Red Planet. But China's plans to set foot on our natural satellite prompted the flamboyant President Trump to reorient Obama's plans, enacting the December 2017 Space Policy Directive to substitute a trip to an asteroid for the much simpler and closer return to the Moon. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) set 2028 as the target year for the first manned lunar landing since 1972. However, Vice President Mike Pence, in agreement with Agency Administrator Jim Bridenstine, decided to accelerate the landing to take place in 2024, the last year of Trump's second term if re-elected. 

However, the 2020 and 2021 budgets for Artemis are insufficient to shape the Gateway space complex and build the descent module in such a short timeframe. And there is no longer a rush since Trump is history and Biden made no such commitment. It should be noted that the development and manufacture of the spacecraft to land on the moon alone requires an investment of $16 billion, which is far short of the approved funds.  

As if that were not enough, other priorities are keeping Washington's new administration on tenterhooks. The Biden Administration has to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, overcome its economic deficit, revive its ailing industry and deliver on its promises to voters regarding the fight against climate change. 

Barring a miracle, the multi-billion dollar investment to return to the moon will have to be delayed. Fortunately, delaying the Artemis programme will meet with the approval of its European partners, also hard hit in all respects by the severe consequences of the coronavirus infection in their respective countries. 

Despite expressions of "absolute and total" support for the Space Force and the growing importance of the beyond-earth scenario, it cannot be ruled out that the priorities already expressed will also mean that its complete organisation and equipment will be delayed. In charge of acquiring, putting into orbit, managing and replacing different constellations of satellites, it has a budget for the current year of 15.5 billion dollars.  

Just over a year old, it was officially established on 20 December 2019, when it saw the light of day in the FY2020 National Defence Authorisation Act. It is included within the Department of the Air Force, which is not unusual in the structure of the Department of Defence. This is also true of the Marine Corps, which is separate from the Navy but part of the Department of the Navy. 

The USSF is one of the Pentagon's large military structures, on a par with the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, making it the sixth branch of the Armed Forces. Like its sister organisations, it is headed by a four-star general, who serves as the head of Space Operations, General John Raymond.