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ORLANDO, Fla. May 8 (UPI) -- Government officials in Florida have organized a summit to launch a campaign aimed at attracting the new Space Command military branch to the state. Titled "Why Florida," the summit is open to the public but may not have much seating, according to the organizers. It will start at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Orlando International Airport.
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The purpose is "to assure we incorporate all of Florida's extensive capabilities, talent and resources to best respond to the requirement soon to be generated," according to a notice sent out by Space Florida, the state's economic development agency for space.
Expected to attend are county and city officials from across Florida, along with congressional representatives, especially from communities with military bases like Brevard County (which is the home of Kennedy Space Center, Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station).
The Florida Chamber of Commerce and the defense task force of Enterprise Florida, the state's broader economic development agency, also are participating.
The Florida effort is coming together despite widespread belief that the new command is likely to be based in Colorado, at least temporarily, according to experts and a space advocate in Florida.
The new Space Command, the Department of Defense has said, "would focus on conducting all joint space warfighting operations, and ensuring the combat readiness of global forces."
It also would accelerate U.S. space capabilities to address threats to satellites and other equipment while deterring enemies. Politicians in California, Texas, Louisiana, Virginia and Alabama also have pitched locations in their states.
Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs is the home of the U.S. Air Force Space Command, but that is not to be confused with the proposed Space Force or even the U.S. Space Command, which is being re-established.
The Air Force Space Command, formed in 1982, consists of more than 26,000 space professionals, supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of space operations. That includes the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral and the 30th Space Wing at Vandenburg Air Force Base in California, which coordinate rocket launch activities.
Colorado took the driver's seat in the quest to host the new Space Command entity when Trump nominated Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond to be the head of the new U.S. Space Command.
As the current head of the Air Force's space command, Raymond is based at Peterson. The location might change, however, if and when President Donald Trump's proposed separate Space Force materializes.
The president signed an executive order June 18 to establish the force, which would be even more independent.
The Defense Department has 10 combatant commands, each with a geographic or functional mission. A U.S. Space Command would become the 11th.
The United States had a separate Space Command from 1985 until 2002. It was disestablished and its functions absorbed by U.S. Strategic Command during the George W. Bush administration to free resources to create U.S. Northern Command for homeland defense.
