US President Donald Trump has directed the US Department of Defense (DoD) and Pentagon to establish Space Force as the sixth branch of the country’s armed forces.

The other five military branches are the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force (USAF), the US Coast Guard (USCG) and the US Marine Corps (USMC).

Trump said: “My administration is reclaiming America’s heritage as the world’s greatest space-faring nation. The essence of the American character is to explore new horizons and to tame new frontiers.

“But our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity but a matter of national security. So important for our military.”

“On 30 June 2017, Trump signed an executive order reviving the National Space Council for the first time in 24 years.”

Trump has ordered to immediately start the process that is required to form the new space force, which will be separate but similar to the USAF.

Trump added: “When it comes to defending America, it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space.”

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On 30 June 2017, Trump signed an executive order reviving the National Space Council for the first time in 24 years. Further details for this were released on 23 March.

The creation of the new military arm is expected to generate new job opportunities that will help strengthen security and the economy of the country.

In a statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White was quoted by CNBC as saying: “Our policy board will begin working on this issue, which has implications for intelligence operations for the airforce, army, marines and navy.

“Working with Congress, this will be a deliberate process with a great deal of input from multiple stakeholders.”