Space Force To Cost Billions More Than DoD Estimate

Space News reports:

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the new space organizations proposed by the Pentagon would require thousands of additional personnel and cost several billion dollars more than what DoD has projected. In a new report released on Wednesday, CBO lays out personnel requirements and cost estimates for several proposed space organizations. The most controversial, an independent military branch for space, would add up to $1.3 billion a year in additional costs — a number far higher than the $500 million a year projected by DoD.

A new military service, a combatant command and a Space Development Agency collectively would increase DoD’s cost by up to $1.9 billion annually. The CBO report was prepared at the request of the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. CBO’s numbers align closer to the $13 billion estimate put forth by Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in September in a memo that was dismissed by Pentagon officials and Space Force proponents on Capitol Hill who claimed the numbers were overinflated.

CBO estimates #SpaceForce, US Space Command + Space Development Agency will require $2-5B startup cost + cost $1-2B to operate annually.

— Travis J. Tritten (@Travis_Tritten) May 8, 2019