DOWNLOAD THE U.S. SPACE FORCE 101 PDF

CHARACTER: High moral character and ethical standards are the foundation of our Guardians' personal and professional lives.

COMMITMENT: Guardians are committed to the pursuit of mastery of themselves, their profession, and their domain, knowing this is a lifelong journey.

CONNECTION: Guardians are connected by a common purpose greater than themselves.

COURAGE: Guardians do what needs to be done and say what needs to be said because it is right.

The U.S. Space Force was established on Dec. 20, 2019, creating the first new branch of the armed services since 1947. The establishment of the USSF resulted from widespread recognition that space is a national security imperative. When combined with the growing threat posed by strategic competitors in space, it became clear that there was a need for a military service focused solely on pursuing superiority in the space domain.

While the Space Force is the newest service, the Department of Defense has been working in the space domain since the beginning of space exploration. The Space Force consolidates satellite acquisition, budget and workforce from across more than 60 different organizations into a unified, efficient, effective service for space operations.

Investments in space capabilities have increased the effectiveness of operations in every other domain. The U.S. military is faster, better connected, more informed, more precise and more lethal because of its ability to harness space effectively. The same premise — that space is critical — holds true for the average American: Space capabilities are woven into the fabric of daily life. Satellites connect people in every corner of the globe from monitoring weather patterns to carrying television broadcasts. They also provide the positioning, navigation and timing of the GPS constellation that powers global financial networks, enable international commerce, synchronize cell phone networks and optimize critical infrastructure systems. Access to, and freedom to operate in space, underpins our national security and economic prosperity. Yet, potential adversaries are seeking ways to deny the U.S. access to the space capabilities that are fundamental to both warfighting and our modern way of life. These adversaries have developed an array of threats — both on Earth and in orbit — that continue to grow in scope, scale and complexity. The military and civilian Guardians who work for the Space Force protect and defend American interests in space to ensure that our forces, our allies and our people have the ability to harness space whenever and wherever they need it.

Space Force 101

Military services generally have three primary identifiers: their distinctive logo, official seal, and an emblem.

- The USSF logo remains the primary mark that represents the U.S. Space Force and the Guardians. With its stylized Delta and displayed service name, the logo captures the essence of the Space Force and the Guardians’ role in the mission. The deltas have been used by the US military since 1961, and have become an iconic part of the space missions under the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Space Command. The Delta continues its legacy, representing the vital mission sets in space, as the logo for the U.S. Space Force.

- The USSF Seal is reserved for internal, official uses only, such as policy letters originating from senior leaders, ceremonial programs, certificates, and diplomas. The USSF Seal consists of an outer ring inscribed with “United States Space Force” positioned along the top and “Department of the Air Force” along the bottom, with a globe behind a delta in the middle.

- The USSF Emblem is available for use when a document or project may not qualify for the USSF Seal, such as retirement mementos, reports not issued by senior Pentagon leadership or their equivalent, office signage, or award plaques. The USSF Emblem will have "United States" positioned along the top and "Space Force" along the bottom, with a delta as a counterbalance on the right and left sides.

Organization and Location

The Space Force headquarters is located at the Pentagon — just like the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. While the Space Force is a separate and distinct branch of the armed services, it is organized under the Department of the Air Force in a manner very similar to how the Marine Corps is organized under the Department of the Navy.

The Chief of Space Operations is the senior uniformed Space Force officer responsible for organizing, training, and equipping all organic and assigned forces serving in the United States and overseas. As members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CSO and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and the president.

In addition to its headquarters, the Space Force has operating locations worldwide and major installations in California, Colorado and Florida. All Space Force personnel, whether civilian or military, are called “Guardians.” As of 2024, the Space Force has more than 14,000 military and civilian Guardians.

space force locations

space force overseas locations

Capabilities

The Space Force organizes, trains and equips personnel in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint forces. To that end, the Space Force manages space launch operations at the East and West Coast Space Launch Deltas. These bases provide services, facilities and range safety control to conduct DoD, NASA and commercial space launches.

Through the command and control of all DoD satellites, satellite operators provide force-multiplying effects — continuous global coverage, low vulnerability and autonomous operations. Satellites provide in-theater secure communications; weather and navigation for ground, air and fleet operations; and threat warning. Ground-based and space-based systems monitor ballistic missile launches around the world to guard against surprise missile attacks.

A global network of space surveillance sensors provides vital information on the location of satellites and space debris for the nation and the world. Maintaining space superiority is a capability required to protect U.S. space assets from hostile attacks.

The Delta Symbol: An Origin Story

Space Operations Command

April 5, 2021 | By David Grim

SPACE SUPERIORITY
Defend against space and counterspace threats

MISSIONS: Orbital Warfare; Electromagnetic Warfare; and Space Battle Management

GLOBAL MISSION OPERATIONS
Integrate joint functions across all domains on a global scale

MISSIONS: Missile Warning; Satellite Communications; and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing

ASSURED SPACE ACCESS
Deploy and sustain equipment in space

MISSIONS: Launch; Range Control; Cyber; and Space Domain Awareness

For more information about the Space Force song and access to other official audio, click here.

Joining United States Space Force

You can learn about military and civilian career opportunities with the Space Force, at our How to Join webpage.

GUARDIAN VALUES

About the United States Space Force

Our mission is to Secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space.

The Delta Symbol: An Origin Story

Core Functions

Space Force Song