Many current and former Air Force, military, and space professionals are opposed to the measure, stating that such a proposal will not address acquisition issues, derail integration between space and other domains, and cause unnecessary bureaucracy that could make acquisition and budget problems worse rather than better. Rather they propose giving space more autonomy in the Air Force and creating a Rapid Capabilities Office dedicated to space acquisition. [1][2]

In June 2017, the U.S. House Armed Services Committee (HASC) voted to include language creating the U.S. Space Corps in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.[3] The new service would be administered by the Secretary of the Air Force (much as how the Marine Corps falls under the Department of the Navy), but would be a separate branch, and guaranteed an equal seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[4] A provision in the House version of the 2018 U.S. defense budget requested the creation of the Space Corps.[4] The top Republican and Democrat on the strategic forces subcommittee, Reps. Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Jim Cooper (D-TN), are leading this effort. Some members of the House Armed Services Committee, including Reps. Martha McSally (R-Arz.), a retired Air Force colonel, and Mike Turner (R-OH) expressed concern that this proposal did not have any hearings or studies on it, and just heard about the proposal during the markup session.[5][6] U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee members Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John McCain (R-AZ), a former Naval Aviator, and Bill Nelson (D-FL), a retired Army Captain and Astronaut, expressed skepticism and opposition regarding the need for the creation of the Space Corps. Senator Nelson introduced an amendment to ban the creation of the Space Corps or any other similar service, which was passed by the Senate. [7][8][9][10]