
The Space Force Logo Is Basically a 'Star Trek' Reference and Twitter's Loving It
By Mustafa GatollariJan. 25 2020, Published 5:58 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump's Space Force has been a long-running joke — and people had tons to say about the aesthetic of the original uniform and the fact that it's camouflage. Because if we are sending soldiers into outer space and want them to blend in with their surroundings, maybe making them look like a woodland painting is a bad idea.
Now Twitter's having a field day with yet another Space Force announcement: the reveal of the branch's official logo.
The Space Force logo is hilariously similar to the Star Fleet Command's logo.
Many folks have noticed a striking similarity between the design of the Space Force's crest and the one for Star Trek's fictional Star Fleet Command. And by striking similarity, I mean that it literally looks like they straight up copied it.
I'm going to play devil's advocate and say that life often imitates art, nor can you blame anyone for copying the Star Fleet Command sigil either, because it's awesome.
That doesn't mean people aren't already meme-ing the heck out of it, however, after Donald Trump had presented the logo on his Twitter feed, extolling the "Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military!"
There's no word as to whether or not CBS already has a serious Space Force TV show starring David Boreanaz, but expect it to go into production soon.
Here's Trump's announcement of the logo below.
After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military! pic.twitter.com/TC8pT4yHFT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
And here's the Space Force logo put side by side with the Star Fleet Command.
While there are tons of jokes circulating the internet comparing soldiers who sign up for the Space Force as basically the cast of Starship Troopers fighting big gross bugs on some distant planet, the Air Force has actually had to do a lot of work to explain exactly what the branch's job is.
Trump just announced the new logo for the Space Force. The other is Star Trek Starfleet Command. pic.twitter.com/S7NeYdjR4C
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 24, 2020
I have a question.
— Kai Ryssdal (@kairyssdal) January 24, 2020
If Space Force is an independent 6th service branch, why is the USAF on this logo? https://t.co/VNrowLtPtT
Namely, U.S. Air Force officials are dispelling the widespread notion that SF personnel will be dictating space policies — because they won't. Paving the way for cosmic business ventures and exploring the vast worlds beyond our own isn't what the Space Force is about, either. So even though the logo may look a lot like Star Fleet Command's, Space Force's function couldn't be more different.
Lmao wow the new Space Force logo is a complete rip off of Star Trek’s Starfleet logo pic.twitter.com/coykUYs67q
— Rich Homie Svi (@aaamackay) January 24, 2020
BREAKING: Trump unveils logo for Space Force pic.twitter.com/eHTv3MjC8a
— yoshi (@fmtovvns) January 24, 2020
Lieutenant General David "DT" Thompson, who is the vice commander of Air Force Space Command, says that the primary function of the new unit is strictly about defense. "There’s a discussion about this grand vision that the Space Force is going to orchestrate economics, and civil and all kinds of other sectors of the economy to take us to the moon and Mars," he told SpaceNews in September. "That’s not the way the American system works."
Regarding US Space Force emblem: Even if it was "inspired by," it does not necessarily equal "stole from." I don't think we need a new military branch for this mission, but that's a whole different issue. I designed the Starfleet Command seal, and the USSF logo doesn't bother me.
— Michael Okuda (@MikeOkuda) January 25, 2020
my dad, avid star trek lover, absolutely hates the space force logo pic.twitter.com/vLpcEwyiYN
— ☼ evie ☼ (@evieseIIers) January 25, 2020
He continued by saying one of the primary goals of Space Force is to defend U.S. satellites against hostile missile or laser attacks. Which is nowhere near as cool as a bunch of astronauts with guns duking it out on the moon, but still kinda cool.
So they really just ripped off the Starfleet logo for Space Force, huh? pic.twitter.com/hIGTR1ZPve
— Brad Denny (@BDenny29) January 24, 2020
The White House has just revealed the Space Force logo they rejected... pic.twitter.com/ijozItsK5w
— Paul Cowland ⏩ (@PaulCowland_) January 24, 2020
"We have a lot of policy and guidance and direction about what the Space Force should be. It’s going to be a sixth branch of the armed services. The job of a service is to organize, train and equip forces for combatant commanders," Thompson said.
Although the lieutenant general has said that defense is the only thing that Space Force is about, some literature that his own command released seems to contradict that statement.
Trump’s new ‘Spaceforce’ logo is obviously intended to resemble the Star Trek Federation badge, but I suspect it’s more like... pic.twitter.com/4fwlzQJrM7
— Paul_Cornell (@Paul_Cornell) January 25, 2020
1959: Origins of NASA seal and meatball logohttps://t.co/1Wm2QqYbAT
— Ferris Jabr (@ferrisjabr) January 24, 2020
1964: Star Trek's Starfleet delta insignia first designed by William Ware Theiss and Gene Roddenberryhttps://t.co/8OMhjcMlpY
1982: Air Force Space Command
2020: U.S. Space Force pic.twitter.com/Kr97zQzL8g
"The Future of Space 2060 and Implications for U.S. Strategy" clearly delineates initiatives that have to do with colonizing and potentially monetizing space exploration.
But maybe he just means the Space Force battalions will work hard to ensure that astro-nerds are protected while pursuing those interests.
What I'm wondering is, what happened to this Space Force logo?

Seriously, they should've just went with that.