When President Trump announced plans to create a new military service for space in June, 2018, it took many by surprise. Discussions surrounding the Space Force were mired in myth and confusion about how exactly this new force would fit into the existing military apparatus.
But the idea of creating a Space Force had been simmering behind the scenes for decades.
This short documentary was conceived by the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Aerospace Security Project in partnership with the Center's Dracopoulous iDeas Lab. It aims to educate audiences abuou history of the Space Force debate.
The documentary served as a contextual resource as the public debate surrounding the Space Force was unfolding. It features interviews with retired members of the Air Force, lawmakers, and experts who provide vital historical context behind the Space Force's inception.
Commanding Space: The Story Behind the Space Force was released as Congress and the Pentagon began submitting proposals around the Space Force. The Space Force's creation was eventually adopted in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
The documentary was also produced with the intent of informing audiences within the Beltway and beyond. To date, the documentary has been viewed over 110,000 times on YouTube.
DESIGN NOTES
We wanted to underscore for audiences that the Space Force debate began well before President Trump's announcement in 2018. To highlight the historical context of this debate, we created an animated timeline that serves as a recurring chronological motif throughout the documentary.
We also created animated charts to capture the debate around where the Space Force would be housed in the Department of Defense.
