WATCH: Tour the Space Force Base on Cape Cod

While families from across New England headed to Cape Cod this summer, so did the brand-new United States Space Force.

Last month, the Cape Cod Air Force Station changed its name to the Cape Cod Space Force Station and introduced Space Force members to the roster. That one word replacement adds a whole new dimension to the mission of the station.

Space Force itself is less than a year old and many people might be confused about what their duties actually include -- the reality might be a little less exciting than the alien-blasting movies. But what Space Force does impacts your daily life.

The newest branch of the military let us through the gate to find out what Space Force personnel actually do on the Cape and why space is an important frontier to focus the military's efforts on. We may not be fighting in spaceships today, but America's space guardians are laying the groundwork for the future.