The Space Force Delta is the official
logo
A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...
of the
U.S. Space Force, the space warfare service branch of the
U.S. Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. U.S. federal law names six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard. Since 1949, all of the armed forces, except th ...
. The delta itself was unveiled on 22 July 2020.
Symbolism
* First used in 1961, the Delta symbol honors the heritage of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
and
Space Command
A space command is a military organization with responsibility for space operations and warfare. A space command is typically a Jointness, joint organization or organized within a larger military branch and is distinct from a fully independent s ...
.
* The silver outer border of the delta signifies defense and protection from all adversaries and threats emanating from the space domain.
* Inside the delta, the two spires represent the action of a rocket launching into the outer atmosphere in support of the central role of the Space Force in defending the space domain.
*The four beveled elements symbolize the joint
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
supporting the space mission:
Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
,
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
,
Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
, and
Marine Corps
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...
.
* In the center of the delta is the star
Polaris
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...
, which symbolizes how the core values guide the Space Force mission.
History
The Space Force Delta was officially unveiled by the
Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force
The chief master sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF) is the senior enlisted advisor to the chief of space operations and the secretary of the Air Force. The chief master sergeant of the Space Force is the most senior enlisted guardian in the ...
,
CMSgt Roger A. Towberman on 22 July 2020, alongside the Space Force's motto ''Semper Supra'', which translates to "Always Above". The delta symbol has a strong historical tradition in the Space Force, being first used by military space units in 1961 and also being used to identify the second highest echelon of Space Force units, as well as holding a central position in the
Space Operations Badge
The Space Operations Badge is an occupational badge for guardians of the United States Space Force ,
Space Force seal, and
Space Force flag.
The seal and delta quickly gained social media notoriety, as individuals compared it to the seal of
Starfleet
Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
from ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
''; however, the Space Force refuted the notion, stating that the central delta insignia was first used in 1942 by the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
, and then adopted by the Air Force's early space program in 1961, years before ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' debuted in 1966. A number of military commentators noted that it was likely that ''Star Trek'' derived its logo from
Air Force Space Command
An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...
, rather than the other way around.
See also
*
Ranks and insignia of space forces
Comparison of ranks and insignia of all current and former space forces, to include aerospace forces and air and space forces or air forces with space units and formations. Ranks Officers
Enlisted
Former ranks Officers
Enlisted
Insign ...
*
Prop and Wings
*
Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (commonly referred to as an EGA) is the official emblem and insignia of the United States Marine Corps. The current emblem traces its roots in the designs and ornaments of the early Continental Marines as well as the ...
*
NASA insignia
The NASA has three official insignia, insignias, although the one with stylized red curved text (the "worm") was retired from official use from May 22, 1992, until April 3, 2020, when it was reinstated as a secondary logo. The three logos include ...
References
{{United States Space Force
United States Space Force
Heraldry of the United States military
Symbols introduced in 2020
Logos