Neil DeGrasse Tyson remembers the connection between astrophysics and war

In his latest book, Neil DeGrasse Tyson remembers the first time he truly understood the relationship between astrophysics and the military. Chemists made napalm, physicists created the atomic bomb, and biologists made an anthrax, but the way astrophysicists looked at modern warfare did not seem so obvious to him. He was not happy.

"It was strange, I was at a conference, a space conference, while the second Gulf War was gaining momentum." All the entrepreneurs who manufactured missiles, weapons, bombs and of course a lot of sessions to bring live coverage, live TV coverage and whenever it was announced that it was a Lockheed Martin missile or d & # 39; 39, a Boeing missile or General Dynamics, this group applauded and applauded on this point, I am very upset, "said Tyson" CBS This Morning "on Friday.

Tyson examines the proposed militarization of space and the blatant association of his field with the army in his new book, "Accessory to War: The Uniform Alliance Between The" astrophysics and the army ".

Earlier this year, President Trump officially ordered the Pentagon to create a sixth branch of the US Army in space. The space force proposed by the president would protect American interests in space and, according to the Pentagon, would both accelerate space technology and advance US scientific knowledge.

While the night's comedians could not resist the temptation to displease the President's call for a Space Force, Tyson argues that not only has the space been militarized since the beginning of its exploration, but that It is in our interest to make sure you protect it.

"Our space assets are not just the value of the satellites built – it's the value of the trade that they allow." GPS Satellites … entire industries exist only "because of that" said Tyson.

When asked if he endorsed the idea of ​​a space force, Tyson objected by saying, "I do not have a horse in this race." ".

"Let's first consider that since everyone has had access to space, we have placed spy satellites in space.Milarization is not just weapons, but are there any activities related to "The war has had this from the beginning, it's not a new understanding or a new idea," said Tyson.

To hear the type of defense that Tyson would like to see in any future Space Force, watch the video at the top of this page.