Another data point to consider when discussing US dependency on space is people. US space requirements have grown at such a rate that several large and costly organizations have developed to handle these programs. For example, the lead agent for US military space is Air Force Space Command, which is based out of Colorado Springs Colorado and consists of nearly 40,000 personnel. These forces are responsible for a number of space operations that includes missile warning, satellite communications (SATCOM), and GPS operations. In addition, the entire functional combatant command of Strategic Command is dedicated to nuclear and space warfare. Lastly, the money trail for space acquisition implies that this realm of operations is every bit as important as air, land, and sea.

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Meteyer, David O. The Art of Peace: Dissuading China from Developing Counter-Space Weapons. USAF Academy, CO: USAF Institute for National Security Studies, August 2005. [ 20 quotes ] [ page 4 ]