President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order before the end of the year creating a US Space Command as a major military command.

Vice President Mike Pence will make the announcement on Tuesday at the Kennedy Space Centre, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, officials said, and President Trump could sign the order as soon as Tuesday.

The move is separate from President Trump’s goal of creating a “Space Force” as an independent armed service branch, but could be a step in that direction.

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

According to US officials, Vice President Pence will be at the Pentagon on Tuesday and will meet with the Joint Chiefs.

Space Command is expected to be among the issues discussed.

The move would actually recreate a US Space Command, which existed from 1985 to 2002.

We have two launches scheduled for Tuesday--one in the morning at the @45thSpaceWing and the other along the west coast at @30thSpaceWing later in the day. To say it's busy times to be an AFspace Airman is an understatement #Facts https://t.co/v82ERpBT5p — United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) December 16, 2018

It was disbanded in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks so that US Northern Command could be established, focusing on defence of the homeland.

Although Space Command went away, its functions did not. They were absorbed by US Strategic Command, and the Air Force retained its lead role in space through Air Force Space Command.

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