Matthew Donovan, acting secretary of the U.S. Air Force, told SpaceNews in an interview published Sunday that he will continue to push for the creation of a separate space service in Congress.
“Let’s unleash the space professionals so they can grow and become the equivalent of the Air Force after separating from the Army,†he told the publication.
Donovan said he expects to field questions from congressional committees in the next few weeks with regard to the new space force as they reconcile the Senate and House versions of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
“There are a couple of things that are really very promising,†said Donovan, who was named interim Air Force secretary in May. “Both recognize that we need some sort of space force or corps. And both recognize that the best place to keep it is in the Department of the Air Force.â€
“We do understand it’s a system of compromises,†he noted. “We’ll make sure they have all the information they need, especially as they go into conference. Our folks are engaged almost daily with professional staff members.â€
