Real-Life Star Wars

Military space stations, high-tech weapons, and soldiers in spacesuits. For years, these details have been the exclusive residents of science fiction. In the 21st century, however, these fantastical concepts are getting closer to reality.

Meet the Space Force—the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Established by Congress in December 2019, the Space Force is the first newly created branch of the military in more than 70 years. Click below to learn more about this historic development in military history and the history of space exploration, including:

• The Cold War origins of the USSF
• The USSF mission statement
• Specific duties and chain of command
• New satellites and technologies developed by the USSF, including the recently launched “Space Fence”

This reference article is part of ABC-CLIO’s World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society database, a platform developed by military historians to examine the causes and consequences of wars, rebellions, and revolutions from antiquity to the present. Click here to unlock your free preview of this database and gain access to thousands of authoritative resources including:

• More than 10,000 reference articles
• 6,400 images, 720 maps, 390 personal accounts, and 280 video and audio recordings
• CLIOview tool that allows students to make comparisons and graph statistical data related to countries during wartime, with more than 15 categories including active armed forces, land borders, religious groups and more
• Investigate activities including primary and secondary source materials to help students answer a central inquiry question