Washington– The United States Space Force — the most recent unit of the armed forces — already has its own flag.
Defense Department officials presented the ensign to the President Donald trump Friday during a brief act in the Oval Office. The dark blue flag with white accents includes elements that are intended to evoke the vastness of outer space.
The Space Force, officially created in December, is the first new military branch since the establishment of the Air Force in 1947. The 16,000 pilots and civilians that make up the Space Force continue to technically belong to the Air Force, which previously oversaw offensive operations in space. However, Trump has made it clear that he views the Space Force as a crucial military branch for the future of America’s defense.
During the ceremony, the president said that the country is developing a “super-great missile” that can move “17 times faster than what we have now.”
The flag includes a hang glider – a longtime Air Force symbol – that stands for change and innovation. The dark and light gray tones within the Delta Wing were incorporated in recognition of the nature of the Space Force’s ongoing work.
The banner also has an image of the planet, which represents the place inhabited by Space Force fighters, and an elliptical orbit around that globe, which means its mission to provide defense and protection against adversaries and threats from space.
The flag was produced by artists and artisans in the Defense Logistics Agency’s Philadelphia Flag Room from a design completed and documented by the Department’s Heraldry Institute at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
– .
