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President Trump plans to create a unified U.S. Space Command

In a separate move from his plans for a 'Space Force,' the president intends to create a new major military command.
Credit: NASA via Getty Images
In this handout provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), back dropped by planet Earth the International Space Station (ISS) is seen from NASA space shuttle Endeavour.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order before the end of the year creating a U.S. Space Command as a major military command.

That's according to two U.S. officials who say Vice President Mike Pence will make the announcement Tuesday at the Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. One official says Trump could sign the order as soon as Tuesday.

The move is separate from Trump's goal of creating a "Space Force" as an independent armed service branch but could be a step in that direction.

Previous: Space Force will be new sixth branch of US military by 2020, Pence says

The U.S. Air Force's existing Space Command would be a key component of the new joint entity, raising space to the same status as U.S. Cyber Command.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

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