1. (a) Establishment.— There is established a United States Space Force as an armed force within the Department of the Air Force.

2. (b) Composition.— The Space Force shall be composed of the following:

   1. (1) The Chief of Space Operations.
   2. (2) The space forces and such assets as may be organic therein.

3. (c) Functions.— The Space Force shall be organized, trained, and equipped to provide—

   1. (1) freedom of operation for the United States in, from, and to space; and
   2. (2) prompt and sustained space operations.

4. (d) Duties.— It shall be the duty of the Space Force to—

   1. (1) protect the interests of the United States in space;
   2. (2) deter aggression in, from, and to space; and
   3. (3) conduct space operations.

(Added Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title XVI, § 1601(a)(1), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1718, § 2279c; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title X, § 1081(a)(17), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1984; renumbered § 9081 and amended, Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 952(b)(3), (4), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1562.)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 9081 was renumbered section 9067 of this title.

Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–92, § 952(b)(4), amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to Air Force Space Command.

Pub. L. 116–92, § 952(b)(3), renumbered section 2279c of this title as this section.

2018—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 115–232, § 1081(a)(17)(A), substituted “December 12, 2017” for “the date of the enactment of this Act”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–232, § 1081(a)(17)(B)(i), substituted “December 12, 2017” for “the date of the enactment of this section” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–232, § 1081(a)(17)(B)(ii), substituted “after December 11, 2018” for “on or after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this section”.

Change of Name; Redesignation of Air Force Space Command as United States Space Force

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 952(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1561, provided that:

“The Air Force Space Command is hereby redesignated as the United States Space Force (USSF).”

Members

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 952(d), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1562, provided that:

1. “(1) In general.— Effective as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019], there shall be assigned to the Space Force such members of the Air Force as the Secretary of the Air Force shall specify.
2. “(2) No authorization of additional military billets.— The Secretary shall carry out this subsection within military personnel of the Air Force otherwise authorized by this Act. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize additional military billets for the purposes of, or in connection with, the establishment of the Space Force.”

Clarification of Authorities

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 958(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1567, provided that:

1. “(1) In general.— Except as specifically provided by this subtitle [subtitle D (§§ 951–961) of title IX of div. A of Pub. L. 116–92, see Short Title of 2019 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables] or the amendments made by this subtitle—

   1. “(A) a member of the Space Force shall be treated as a member of the Air Force for the purpose of the application of any provision of law, including provisions of law relating to pay, benefits, and retirement; and
   2. “(B) a civilian employee of the Space Force shall be treated as a civilian employee of the Air Force for the purpose of the application of any provision of law, including provisions of law relating to pay, benefits, and retirement.
2. “(2) Appointment and enlistment.— For purposes of the appointment or enlistment of individuals as members of the Space Force pending the integration of the Space Force into the laws providing for the appointment or enlistment of individuals as members of the Armed Forces, appointments and enlistments of individuals as members of the Armed Forces in the Space Force may be made in the same manner in which appointments and enlistments of individuals as members of the Armed Forces in the other Armed Forces may be made by law.”

Effects on Military Installations

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 959, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1568, provided that:

“Nothing in this subtitle [subtitle D (§§ 951–961) of title IX of div. A of

Pub. L. 116–92, see Short Title of 2019 Amendment note set out under

section 101 of this title and Tables], or the amendments made by this subtitle, shall be construed to authorize or require the relocation of any facility, infrastructure, or military installation of the Air Force.”

Implementation

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 961, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1568, provided that:

1. “(a) Requirement.— Except as specifically provided by this subtitle [subtitle D (§§ 951–961) of title IX of div. A of Pub. L. 116–92, see Short Title of 2019 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables], the Secretary of the Air Force shall implement this subtitle, and the amendments made by this subtitle, by not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019].
2. “(b) Briefings.— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 60 days thereafter until March 31, 2023, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Space Operations shall jointly provide to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a briefing on the status of the implementation of the Space Force pursuant to this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle. Each briefing shall address the current missions, operations and activities, manpower requirements and status, and budget and funding requirements and status of the Space Force, and such other matters with respect to the implementation and operation of the Space Force as the Secretary and the Chief jointly consider appropriate to keep Congress fully and currently informed on the status of the implementation of the Space Force.”