Last week, when not busy torpedoing selected items on the Democratic agenda, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin took time to introduce legislation that would create a national guard component for the U.S. Space Force, the military branch created during the Trump administration.
“West Virginia has a rich history of contributing to achievements in space,” Manchin said in introducing the legislation, citing the achievements of NASA mathematician and “Hidden Figures” inspiration Katherine Johnson and NASA engineer and “Rocket Boys” author Homer Hickam.
Creation of a Space National Guard, Manchin said, “would ensure that National Guard personnel in West Virginia and across the country can continue their service in a reserve component that represents their specialized space-based missions.”
To enhance prospects for a Space National Guard presence in West Virginia, our congressional delegation is likely to begin talking up the state’s suitability as a site for fulfilling Space Force missions.
For instance, since Air National Guard personnel spread over eight states now provide 60% of the military’s electronic warfare capabilities, why not have them operating from a single Space National Guard base in West Virginia? We already have two locations with appropriate names: Star City and Rocket Center.
At a Space Guard base here, electromagnetic weaponry can be powered by clean, reliable West Virginia coal — and tested on the barren, remote strip mines from which it came.
Another key Space Force mission is operating the nation’s “Space Fence,” which tracks a rapidly growing accumulation of decommissioned satellites and space debris orbiting Earth. A West Virginia Space Guard outfit that recycles or landfills such hardware would fill a valuable niche.
The state’s abundance of large, abandoned surface mines could make it a candidate for a Space National Guard backup landing field for Space Force’s X-37 robotic orbiters, which now land on a remote desert strip in California.
West Virginia Space Guard members could fulfill their non-federal mission by offering public assistance to residents of the state in the event of a natural disaster that calls for their unique skills, which makes me wonder:
Is there such a thing as a 1,000-year meteor shower?
Rick Steelhammer is a features reporter. He can be reached at 304-348-5169 or rsteelhammer@hdmediallc.com. Follow
