The answer is decades. A secret classified space program has existed since the 1960s. It will surprise many to find out that humans already walked on Mars and the moons of Jupiter. The government never told the public because of all the deep state corruption. It should have been declassified when the cold war ended but the deep state was drunk on power. They have used the power of the secret space program to create a virtual breakaway civilization that is no longer accountable to the President. By creating a cabinet level position of Space Commander this brings the secret space program back under control of the President.  This is crazy big news.