Extraterrestrial First Contact: Space Force

The United States Space Force is projected to be $2 billion, fifteen thousand person off-shoot of the United States Air Force. And that’s just for the five-year start-up. It would consolidate many current space monitoring and defense activities. It would also develop new strategies for defense and it is these possibilities that give one pause. The use of weapons in space is limited. In 1967 the UN General Assembly passed the “Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.” That International Law prohibits mass destruction weapons, such as nuclear warheads, in space or Earth orbit. The U.S. Space Force could use lasers and conventional payload missiles to protect U.S. satellites. Russia and China are developing such technology. It is argued that the United States will be vulnerable if it doesn’t respond. The impact it would have on Alien First Contact could be considerable.

There is no evidence that extraterrestrials have traveled to our solar system. However, if they do travel here, the threat of attack would be a serious concern to humans, especially if the alien craft was in Earth orbit; the closer the proximity, the greater the threat. Much would, of course, depend on the nature of the aliens. If they profess peace we could be a little less worried. But there would always be that nagging fear, rattling around in the back of our minds: What if they are not telling the truth?

So, we would be scared.

Now, let’s take the alien point of view. Human controlled conventional missiles and lasers in space could be a real threat to an alien craft, just as fighter jets and ground missiles would be a threat inside Earth’s atmosphere. We would assume that extraterrestrials capable of sending a probe or piloted craft to our solar system have technology more advanced than ours. The big question would be- does that technology include on-board weaponry? If it were a scientific mission, such measures would only get in the way.

So, they may be wary of us.

A little paranoia on all sides is not necessarily a bad thing; it could keep everyone – us and the aliens – honest. A human Space Force, while not developed or even considered for alien visitation, would provide humans with an extra measure of security nonetheless. It may help quell human fears in the early days of a Direct First Contact situation. Keeping us calm would be important.

I think the real issue is what would happen After First Contact. Worried humans could go on a space-based arms spree, perhaps even voting to allow nuclear weapons in space, all in the name of protecting ourselves against aliens. The aliens in question could be as nice as possible and the threat would still be perceived. The same could be said of a non-communicative AI probe. That scenario might even be worse, because if the probe is non-communicative, we would be getting no reassurances of peaceful intentions.

Perhaps beefing up our space defense against extraterrestrials would be necessary, but who would control such defenses? Individual nations could turn those weapons on each other. The threat of nuclear weapons in space would be significant, which is why the 1967 UN treaty was so well supported. Fear will be a huge issue in any First Contact event and when humans get scared we go for our big guns.

The balance of caution and optimism would be critical in the wake of Direct First Contact. If aliens do visit us someday, there would have to be some level of elevated defense preparedness, if even just in monitoring. But there would also need to be a highly disciplined level of control, and we would have to offer our own reassurances to the visitors.

It was inevitable that the human military presence in space would continue to grow. Countries are heavily reliant on satellite technology. It would be foolish not to protect that technology from other humans. The United States Space Force is not such a bad idea. However, in case of alien First Contact the added stressors and potential overreaction would be dangerous. Protecting ourselves against aliens could make us more vulnerable to each other and increase the risk of annihilation by error. Would it be worth it?

Photo by NASA.