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White House advisers on Tuesday said it would recommend that U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned U.S. Space Command develop ways for the military to operate in outer space.

“The National Space Council, a White House advisory panel, will also recommend a review of existing treaty issues.

“They will also unveil proposed legislation for Congress to create and fund a separate space agency to oversee commercial activities,’’ the officials said.

The council’s recommendations are set to be made at a meeting later at the National Defense University in Washington, where Vice President Mike Pence is also scheduled to speak.

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The Trump administration in August announced an ambitious plan to usher in a new “Space Force” as the sixth branch of the military by 2020.

Report says such a change, which the Defense Department has estimated will cost 13 billion dollars in the first five years, must first be approved by Congress.

Critics, including some Democratic lawmakers, have said its creation is an unnecessary and expensive bureaucratic endeavour that will simply shift work already being done well by other services like the Air Force.

According to a copy provided to Reuters, the proposed bill will create the Bureau of Space Commerce under the U.S. Department of Commerce to liaise with industry representatives and organisations.

It also called for 10 million dollars a year for five years starting in 2020 to fund the commerce arm.