Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson wants everyone to know that the world is round. (National Geographic Channel)
Renown stargazer Neil deGrasse Tyson said President Trump’s dream of creating a “Space Force,” isn’t such a “crazy idea” after all.
The astrophysicist and author said it is a “fundamental part of what it is to be a sovereign country” to defend the nation’s assets — which should include outer space.
“So it’s not a crazy idea,” Tyson said on CBS News’ weekly podcast “The Takeout.”
“A lot of Trump haters want to hate everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth. I’m an academic; I analyze everything. And just because it came out of Trump’s mouth doesn’t automatically mean it’s a crazy idea.”
In June, Trump said he was directing the Pentagon to create a Space Force as a sixth branch of the military that would protect US spacecraft and astronauts as the cosmos gets more crowded.
“This is a giant step toward inspiring future generations and toward reclaiming America’s proud destiny in space,” Trump he said at the time.
Tyson suggested that the Space Force should be dedicated to protecting Earthlings too — from asteroids and space debris.
The Space Force could come with a $13 billion price tag in the agency’s first five years and would include 13,000 members when launched, according to an Air Force memo that leaked last month.
This story originally appeared in the New York Post.