The United States Air Force may extend its reach into outer space in the future.

An off-Earth society, which could have 1,000 residents as early as 20 years from now, would require a certain level of policing in order to stimulate economic growth, according to Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Schilling.

At the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado on April 4, Schilling said: 'The [US] Navy secures the freedom of action for commerce globally for the good of all humankind.

'And I think it's going to take a force very similar to that to provide the predictability and security that the marketplace of space will need,' Space.com reported.

He added: 'I think that would be the role of the United States Air Force moving into the future.'

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US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Schilling told the National Space Symposium that the Force could protect the emerging economy between Earth and the Moon. Pictured: Computer-generated artwork of spaceships

He said that the Navy 'secures the freedom of action for commerce globally for the good of all humankind' and the Air Force could do the same in cislunar space, or the area between Earth and the Moon. Pictured: Conceptuals designs of Northrop Grumman fighter jets

Such protections would help to protect workers at moon mines or lunar ice deposits.

'Fundamentally, I'd like that to be somebody with a value system that reflects the values that I share,' Schilling said.

Schilling spoke on a panel that discussed 'the vision of a self-sustained space economy within the confines of CisLunar space.' Video of the panel was uploaded to YouTube.

Cislunar space lies between Earth and the Moon, and would be developed as a permanent base for humanity.

United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno spoke of the company's vision to have 1,000 permanent cislunar residents within a couple decades.

He said: 'As NASA and other people push deeper into deep space to explore, we want to develop the space between here and the Moon.'

He added: 'Where regions are stable and secure, where people are safe, commerce flourishes. And where that is not true, it does not.'

Cislunar space could have 1,000 permanent residents within a couple decades, if the vision of spacecraft company United Launch Alliance is achieved. Pictured: A computer illustration showing a spacecraft orbiting Earth

This comes as Elon Musk announced in Late February that he had granted the wish of only two passengers to take a trip around the moon on his SpaceX Dragon 2.

The Tesla CEO announced that his space exploration company, SpaceX, had agreed to the trip for 'two private citizens,' scheduled for the end of 2018.

The trip will send the passengers around the moon's orbit and propel them back to Earth, but won't land on the Moon.

The voyaging vessel, SpaceX's Dragon 2, will be remote controlled, but the tourists will undergo emergency situation training.

'They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission. Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration,' the tech mogul said.

'This presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years and they will travel faster and further into the Solar System than any before them.'