Can't Hug a Satellite: General Addresses Space Force's PR Problem Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond speaks with third grade students from Desoto Intermediate School in Adel, Iowa, during a virtual call at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Dec. 16, 2020. (U.S. Air Force/Eric Dietrich) 3 Feb 2021 The head of the U.S. Space Force said it hasn't been easy to get the American public to understand what the military's newest branch does, but vowed to keep working on getting its message across. "Space doesn't have a mother. You can't reach out and hug a satellite. You can't see it; you can't touch it. It's hard to have that connection," Gen. John Raymond, chief of space operations for the service, told reporters Wednesday during a Defense Writers Group virtual event.