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 it represents as in a wordma ...

of the

U.S. Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...

, the space warfare service branch of the

U.S. Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

. 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 service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

and

Space Command A space command is a military organization with responsibility for space operations and warfare. A space command is typically a joint organization or organized within a larger military branch and is distinct from a fully independent space force. ...

.https://www.spaceforce.mil/portals/1/200722-F-GO452-0002.png * 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. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

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 a ...

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

, and

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

. * 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 ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that ...

, 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, CMSgt

Roger A. Towberman Roger A. Towberman (born 1966/1967) is a senior non-commissioned officer of the United States Space Force who has served as the first chief master sergeant of the Space Force since April 3, 2020. He was also the service's first enlisted member, ...

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 conduc ...

; 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 eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' debuted in 1966. A number of military commentators noted that it was likely that ''Star Trek'' derived its symbolism from

Air Force Space Command The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

, rather than the other way around.

References

{{United States Space Force United States Space Force Heraldry of the United States military Symbols introduced in 2020 American logos

Symbolism

History

See also

References