Why Outer Space Should Not Be Militarized

President Donald Trump announced his intentions of forming a sixth branch of the US military. His proposal would be known as a space force. The militarization of outer space would create a major threat to humanity. The danger is present in the spreading of war zones beyond our planet. The cost would be immense to train soldiers, build space craft, and maintain programs. There is risk that also comes with extended periods in outer space. Human health may not be fully protected or maintained. The development of a space force would harm the more important objectives of space exploration. Discovery, the accumulation of new knowledge, and a greater understanding of the universe in its entirety should be the goals of space program. Such objectives could be an international effort, with various nations working on space exploration projects. Although  space race was the product of Cold War conflict and competition, this should not be the behavior or mentality of the contemporary period. Space exploration should be about increasing scholarship in regards to an unknown environment, not making space into another theater of war for the sake of militarism. Astronomers, astrophysicists, aeronautical engineers, and astronauts should object to the militarization of space. Space explorers and scientists should be examining the nature of the universe. Space exploration can create many opportunities for employment, business enterprise, advancement of civilization, and an understanding of mankind's place in existence. Science should be a humanitarian endeavor with the intent of improving lives and environments. A space force would only create more confrontation and a global arms race. Trepidation about developing a space force may seem misplaced, but this development will not longer be science fiction. It could easily become a reality within a few centuries. Technology has rapidly advanced and there is no reason to assume that it would stop. The exploration and possible colonization of space  would represent  a remarkable achievement in humanity's scientific progress. A space force could reverse such accomplishments. The militarization of space would have negative consequences that are vast and permanent.
       Spacecraft would have to be more developed for a proposed military force in space. Although details are limited about the space force, it may be modeled on the US Navy. Meaning that there will be space ships patrolling certain areas of the Solar System or possibly distant galaxies. This would require the construction of multiple space stations to house soldiers and staff. Space craft would have to be durable enough to sustain long term use and extremely low temperatures. Building a spacecraft that can attain high speeds would not make reaching particular destinations easier. There are places that are lightyears away and reaching them would take an entire human life cycle. Humanity's only solution to this problem of travelling far distances would be to some how manipulate traversible wormholes. If such structures could be manipulated it is possible to find short cuts through large distances of outer space. This would have to be a precondition before the creation of any space force.Otherwise, space soldiers would either have to start serving in their early youth and if they do return to Earth settle for a late retirement. Wormholes theoretically could also be used for time travel as some astrophysicists have suggested. The physical barrier is that they would have to be  large enough to fit spacecraft. It is not entirely known if  this type of travel could be safe or as convenient as theorized. Outer Space may be one of the harshest environments that humanity will travel in.

The only place humanity been on is the moon. Other forms of space exploration has been done with satellites, robots, probes, and  telescopes. The Hubble Telescope produced more information than what a crew of astronauts would have done. Sending astronauts to various areas of space entails a huge amount of danger and immense costs. Space shuttles have been retired in favor of a new generation of spacecraft. The Orion spacecraft shows promise in terms of durability and efficient engineering design. Many more will have to go into production to allow for a space force to operate. Unlike other spacecraft of the 20th and early 21st century, Orion has been made specifically to travel further compare to its predecessors. Space vessels are being made smaller. There may be a more practical reason for this development. The combination of space debris from launches and satellites has become a concern. Such a build up could pollute  the Solar System or more space as humanity begins to colonize it. Space debris could be reduced with spacecraft that is diminutive in size. The problem is that production of smaller craft would have to be large enough to allow for a substantial space force. Sending a battalion or even a company of soldiers could be a finance and logistical challenge. Obviously, seeing as this space force is part of the US military the spacecraft would most likely have to be weaponized in some way. 

The new generation of spacecraft would not be able to support large artillery attached to it. Due to temperature, weight, and the microgravity environment this would be more of an engineering failure. The weapons would have to be laser based. There remains a technological issue with this as well. Such a weapon would require a large amount of energy. It would need enough power to inflict damage on other spacecraft. Semi-conductor lasers do not have the power to cut through metal, but a laser to be made into an effective weapon would require further technological advancement. This could also require, if developed a field test. The laser would have to be developed on Earth and experimented with. Then it would have to be attached and mounted on the spacecraft and then tested in space. This could take a number of years or decades to ensure effectiveness. Spacecraft was not intended to be designed for combat. Its main purpose was for transport, housing accommodation, and scientific observation in the Solar System. The current spacecraft being produced now, would not be enough for a large scale military force. A new form of spacecraft would have to be designed if it is going to be similar to a combat vehicle or naval ship. Airplanes did not begin as technology used for combat. Gradually, they were developed for that purpose starting with World War I. Tanks were made with the purpose of being used in military operations firing shells and transporting soldiers. Creating a fleet similar to that of Star Wars or Start Trek  may not be possible under the current technology. There needs to be a greater understanding of the ecology and astrophysics of outer space before attempts are made to build a space force. 

     Human health also raises a concern. Seeing as humanity is born into an environment of gravity going into space for long periods effects musculoskeletal health. The microgravity environment could cause muscles to atrophy. What can be observed from the health conditions of astronauts can provide predictions of how a soldier in the space force would react to this environment. Bone mass loss can occur in space. The threats to muscloskeletal health can effect men and women, but there may be a more pronounced difference due to sex differences. If women on average have lower bone and muscle mass, this means they would have a worse outcome in terms of health in a space environment. There are some cases in which astronauts may experience visual impairment and hearing loss. Orthostaic intolerance and struvite kidney stones also are conditions that can arise in the bodies of space travelers. Soldiers also face numerous health issues on Earth. Musculoskeletal injuries, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and post traumatic stress disorder are becoming more common for US soldiers. Physical injuries can happen during basic training and preparation for military occupational specialty. The attrition rate can be high in physically demanding occupations. Medical discharge, stress, or a harsh workplace contributes to this. Building a space force would increase the number of medical discharges. If they are high on Earth, it should be assumed that it would be higher in space. If a space force is to travel to other galaxies and planets, there must be considerations from the astrobiological perspective. There could be multitudes of organisms and microorganisms that may be dangerous. If there are Earth like planets, there is a possibility that bacteria or viruses could exist in their ecosystems. Animals or certain plants may be harmful to human life. There should be no attempt to bring any organism from other planets back to Earth. The effects on people or the wider environment could pose high risk. Space also can be a place of  immense radiation levels. The Earth is protected by its magnetic field. 

When space travelers depart, they face more radiation that what they would normally be exposed to. A soldier on a space force could be risking fertility. The proposed space force would either be in space long periods of time for patrolling or would have to rotate similar to an astronaut's schedule. This is the same problem with the attempted mission to Mars. Astronauts would not be in the physical shape once the they reached the planet, due to changes of the muscular and skeletal system. New technologies such as the advance resistive exercise device have been developed to combat the effects of microgravity on the human body. The technology would have to advance further, if a space force is to remain in such an environment. Living in space may put travelers at risk for cancer depending on the level of radiation they are exposed to. A soldier who enlists in a space force would have numerous medical conditions, if  occupational safety is ignored. Space stations would not be adequate enough given the current technology to house the new branch of the military and their families. New born babies could be susceptible to particular conditions related to space travel. If adults experience such conditions in space, this would likely be worse for a growing body of an infant. As a precaution, soldiers of the space force would have to leave their families on Earth. Long space journeys could have an effect on mental and physical health. Planners of the new space force should be solicitous of the factors that could cause harm or either death to soldiers. 

         War has been a persistent threat to humanity. The 20th century saw mass global conflict starting with World War I and World War II. After such devastation, there was a movement to resolve international disputes peacefully. This was the intention of the United Nations, but it was dominated by the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union. Even after the Cold War, there still is conflict. The creation of a space force only opens up another theater of war. Wars have been conducted from the land, air, and sea. The 21st century has also given rise to a new type of warfare. Hacking and espionage through the internet are cyberwarfare  which the US and Russia may be engaging in. Space would just become another area of combat, even though various nations share the same planet. The race to build space forces would inevitably lead to countries competing with one another in a mass arms race. The United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, and the UK  would then attempt to construct space based weaponry. The potential for mass conflict on the Earth and in space would increase with the establishment of a space force. There have been programs that sought to militarize outer space. The Strategic Defense Initiative was a product of President Ronald Reagan's aggressive anti-communism. This was a program that was designed as an anti-ballistic missile system that would deflect attacks from other countries. Using innovative technologies SDI was going to be the most impervious missile defense system. The proposal intended for laser and mirror  systems  to either intercept missiles form land or in outer space. SDI was started in 1983 and gradually drew criticism. What was later dubbed the "Star Wars" program cost billions and jeopardized negotiations with the U.S.S.R in 1986. 

The program would require more technological advancement and more energy than the Reagan administration realized. The program was abandoned and some felt that it was ludicrous science fiction. Although the proposals for a space force may parallel the SDI program, there is a slight difference. The Trump administration seeks to boost military spending possibly higher than what the Ronald Reagan presidency did. NASA would be tempted to be a large part of the development of the space force, simply because more funds means they could do other projects in the future. The military industrial complex will expand into outer space. The amount of profit would be too great for arms manufacturers to ignore. Corporations and governments who believe in geopolitical hegemony will work to develop space forces for permanent warfare. This would be an abuse of scientific knowledge and engineering.  Extending human conflict into outer space would open unknown perils. Before going into space, there must be conflict resolution on Earth. 

         Building a space force would require a significant amount of funds to maintain. The costs would have to factor the construction of spacecraft, the supplies for soldiers, benefits, healthcare, pension plans, and wages. The United States spends a large portion of its budget on its military. If a space force is going to be created the federal income tax would have to increase. Taxes generate revenue for the US government, but many American citizens are unsatisfied with the rate. Disproportionately, the middle class and working class Americans pay more federal income tax. These groups would be paying for the establishment of a space force. Collectively, such revenue may not be enough so long as wages remain stagnant in the workforce. There are solutions to this. The wealthiest would have to either pay more income taxes or there would have to be private investment from various companies. Under a supply side economic model this would not be sustainable. National debt could become so enormous that the country would face recession. Space exploration may have high costs, but it provides valuable information. A space force from an economic perspective would be a terrible decision. The only way it would be a fruitful benefit was if  more natural resources could be found on Earth like planets. The Earth's fossil fuels are a finite resource and they will be depleted based on the rate of human consumption. Extracting natural resources from other planets, rather than on Earth could be more profitable and safer. It would definitely help preserve the condition of Earth's environment. This would take decades of development and planning. Actual execution of missions would be even more arduous. Most American citizens would not be willing to pay for developing a space force. The congress and senate would most likely not approve of legislation to establish a space force based on the astronomical costs. 

        The establishment of a space force also raises concerns about the environment of space itself. Human environment interaction  can result in pollution. The exploration of space has led to the accumulation  of space junk . If space travel is going to rise of the course of a few centuries this may create an environmental protection issue. The amount of space junk around Earth must be removed some how before an entire force of soldiers goes off into space. If a space force will be going to other planets and back this will add to the gigantic amounts of space debris already around Earth. 

   

Human civilization will have to confront pollution on multiple fronts. Space, the atmosphere, and the oceans. The problem with outer space is that its size would make protection also insuperable. The danger is that human beings would replicate the space debris conditions on Earth in other areas. If such pollution and waste propagates, traveling through space or to other planets would be even more unsafe. An effort to clear the space junk would have to be a precondition for mass travel through space with a military force. Regulation of travel and waste disposal would have to be a top priority. Otherwise outer space could be nothing more than an area filled with debris from spacecraft and satellites. The proposed space force will most likely consist of large numbers of soldiers, support staff, and civilian workers from the Pentagon. The higher the population, the more pollution and generation of waste. What is known about human behavior on Earth demonstrates that an environmental protection policy must be implemented before ambitious projects are started. Space already is a rough environment. It is a place of blackholes, gamma ray bursts, and asteroids. Humanity could have the potential to either make such an environment secure for travel or cause permanent damage to particular planets or systems. A conservative political administration would not have concerns for environmental protection. If the policies on Earth are the same, such advocates would surely replicate them in space. The long term travel of the space force poses complications to the environments of other galaxies and planets. 

      The militarization of outer space should not happen. The risks to human health, international peace, environment, and economic welfare are too great. Space should be explored for the sake of human knowledge, not for military or imperial endeavors. The United States realizing it has challenges from other world powers wants to reassert itself. The world now functions on a multipolar power structure and the days of the US being the sole superpower are coming to an end. This dramatic shift in international affairs may be a cause for conflict. The nations of the world should seek peace and collaboration. Space exploration can be the unifying force between the nations of the world. Astronomers, astrophysicists, astrobiologists  aeronautical engineers, and astronauts from all over the world could cooperate on terraforming  and space colonization projects. Militarism has caused mush devastation throughout human history. Armies are not the liberators of people, rather they are the conquerors. The military is not a humanitarian organization and it is not interested in the higher aspirations of science. The space force proposal is being presented as a humanitarian and exciting new development when there are obvious motives behind its development. The US weaponizing space would put the world at its mercy, if it an do it effectively. The sudden rush to create such a military force is a way to threaten other countries, specifically Russia and China. Such behavior should not continue in the future. Callous action could result in mass global conflict, only this time space would be another front. Outer space should be available and open to all nations. A humanistic approach relative to science should be taken. A space force is not needed, because there are no imminent threats from space. Comets and potential changes in the Sun are matters of concern. Yet, these events may happen far off in the future. Efforts should be directed toward leaning more about the Solar System and Milk Way Galaxy. More effort should be made to successfully get astronauts to Mars. The Donald Trump administration has promised to expand that NASA goal and mission, but it is dubious such a program will come into existence. There seems to be more enthusiasm for science with conservatives when it has a military application. Otherwise, particular factions reject common scientific knowledge such as evolution and climate change. If any organization is to be formed it should be for the purpose of gathering further information on space and the universe as a whole. The military should not be involved in dictating scientific policy and NASA should not be pressured into producing for a space force program. Space exploration, settlement,  and the discovery of new knowledge are the only activities humanity should invest in relative to the universe.