US military in space inevitable: NASA’s incoming administrator Isaacman

Jared Isaacman, the incoming administrator of NASA, has said that the deployment of US military personnel in space is “absolutely inevitable” as the United States seeks to safeguard its growing economic interests in space.

Speaking at the Space Force Association's Spacepower 2024 conference in Orlando, Isaacman stated that the expanding role of humanity in space, including the establishment of a permanent US presence in low Earth orbit, will require military personnel to ensure security.

"I think it is absolutely inevitable," Isaacman said. "If Americans are in low Earth orbit, there’s going to need to be people watching out for them. This is the trajectory that humankind is going to follow. America is going to lead it, and we’re going to need guardians there on the high ground looking out for us."

Isaacman, who was nominated last week by President-elect Donald Trump to lead NASA, emphasised the role of space in the future of the US economy.

His new position will likely delay any further spaceflights, as he shifts from a private astronaut to a government leader. Isaacman, 41, previously flew on two self-funded missions aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

Space Economy Vision

A key focus of Isaacman’s tenure at NASA will be fostering the development of a robust space economy. He expressed a desire to explore new frontiers beyond the current commercial space ventures, citing the potential of space-based industries like mining, manufacturing, and energy production.

Isaacman challenged private companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, to innovate beyond the existing paradigms of space activity. "The space economy has been more or less the same for 60 years," he said, urging companies to “crack the code” on new ventures.

Space, he added, holds “unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy.” Isaacman predicted that space will evolve into a thriving economy, creating opportunities for people to live and work off-planet. He pledged that NASA would be at the forefront of making humanity a "true spacefaring civilisation."

US Military Presence in Space

Isaacman’s remarks on the inevitable deployment of US military personnel in space align with growing calls for military involvement in space security.

He did not specify a timeline for when military personnel might be stationed in orbit but suggested that it could coincide with NASA’s plans to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon through its Artemis program.

Retired Lieutenant General John Shaw of the US Space Force had previously suggested in 2020 that the Department of Defence would eventually establish command centres beyond Earth’s atmosphere to protect American interests in space.