The new U.S. Space Force launched a recruitment video Wednesday meant to inspire talent to join its ranks, while the Air Force secretary and Space Force commander acknowledged Steve Carell’s rendition in a trailer for the Netflix comedy Space Force is also helping to generate interest.
“One of my daughters texted me and said, ‘Hey, Space Force is getting really big, Netflix’s gonna do a show, and Steve Carell is gonna play you,’” said Space Force Commander Gen. Jay Raymond Wednesday after admitting he attempted to cancel his Netflix subscription until his three children protested.
“I was hoping for Bruce Willis, but Steve Carell is a great actor, and I love his shows, so we’re looking forward to it,” said Raymond, referring to the actor of Die Hard and Armageddon fame.
The Netflix trailer, which premiered Tuesday, features Carell as the commander of the Space Force. In one scene, Carell seeks respite from the stress of the job by retreating to his office, where he sings and dances to the Beach Boys’ song “Kokomo.”
Raymond and Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett discussed recruitment via a webinar Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging address to space professionals organized by the Space Foundation. The foundation had hoped to assemble in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for its annual event, until the coronavirus outbreak postponed its in-person meeting until October.
“We are now seeing an effort to talk to folks out there who would like to be a part of an exciting, new, happening place,” said Barrett after the video debuted, which is now posted on Space Force social media.
The crisply produced video shows uniformed soldiers in dimly lit, sophisticated control rooms with spliced scenes of rocket launches and heavenward stares.
The 30-second production closes with a narrator stating: “Maybe your purpose on this planet isn’t on this planet.”
Both Barrett and Raymond acknowledged with a laugh the interest generated by the new Netflix comedy about the nation’s newest service.
Joking aside, Raymond talked about space rivals Russia and China, which are believed to be deploying weapons-capable satellites, and Iran, which attempted another satellite launch last week.
“There are threats,” said Raymond. “The average American needs to understand just how reliant their life is on space. Space fuels our American way of life.”
Barrett likewise said that systems such as navigation, information, and communications rely on space, but were built when space was considered a benevolent, benign environment.
“So many of our systems are not defended and are vulnerable,” she said. “It is important for us to deter aggressive action against American assets, but if deterrence fails, we need to be prepared to defend and defend if necessary, shoot back.”
The Space Force currently has 16,000 Air Force personnel administratively assigned to it, but it had only two enlisted members until 86 Air Force Academy cadets graduated last month.
Nonetheless, Raymond said recruiting has not been a problem.
“We have more people knocking on our door wanting to join us than we have positions,” he said.
The commander described some of the positions the newly enlisted space operators will have, including engineering, acquisitions, intelligence, and software development.
Barrett also highlighted the first American launch to carry astronauts in a decade.
“The launch later this month is a metaphor for America’s leadership,” she said, reflecting on how for the last nine years, the United States has had to buy a seat on Russian spacecraft to deliver astronauts to the space station.
The May 27 launch by SpaceX and NASA from the Kennedy Space Center will carry Air Force and Marine Corps officers, she noted.
“It’s an important time in transforming America’s role in space and returning to that leadership that we once knew,” she said.
Added Raymond: “There is no more critical time or exciting time to be in our business.”
