Guardians. This is the new name by which members of the US Space Force , the independent service branch geared towards space exploration, will be known. The program features a logo and tagline reminiscent of Starfleet from Star Trek, as well as a headquarters and a recruiting and training program.
United States Vice President Mike Pence stated that the United States Space Force will henceforth be known as “Guardians,” where “soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and guardians will serve the United States for generations to come.” .
The announcement was made in December 2020 , during a press conference at the White House hosted by Vice President Mike Pence and senior Defense Ministry officials. These included USSF Chief of Space Operations (CSO) Gen. John W. Raymond, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, and Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett.
The news generated a swift response on social media, largely ridiculing the Space Force, which has already been criticized for its logo and uniform since its inception by US President Donald Trump in December 2019 for its resemblance. with Star Trek’s Starfleet and now with its similarity to Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy.
Recall that the motto of the Starfleet of the fictional universe of Star Trek is: Ex Astris, Scientia (Of the Stars, Knowledge), whose agency was created by the United Federation of Planets in 2161 with the aim of exploring deep space.
The Space Force exposed on Twitter that the name had a “long history in space operations, dating back to the original motto of the Air Force Space Command in 1983,” Guardians of the High Frontier. ” The Guardians name connects our proud heritage and culture with the important mission that we carry out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, protecting the people and interests of the US and its allies. “
In fact, let’s remember that the Delta symbol (the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet) was used for the first time in 1961; it is nothing new in NASA equipment design and honors the heritage of the USAF and Space Command.
As a curiosity, Space Force / Fuerza Espacial is the first military service born since the US Air Force was created in 1947 . The Space Force is officially part of the Air Force, just like the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.
What will happen to the Space Force in 2021 is unclear, as President-elect Joe Biden has not yet revealed his plans for this body in the next administration.
The Space Force “organizes, trains and equips space forces to protect the interests of the United States and its allies in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. USSF responsibilities include the development of military space professionals, the acquisition of military space systems, the maturation of military doctrine for the space of power and the organization of space forces to present them to our combat commands, “they clarify in a statement.
According to Pence, the Space Force will have “in a short period of time” 6,000 guardians.
