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Space Force (U.S.)


Indoor/Parade version image provided by Army Institute of Heraldry to Dave Fowler, 15 May 2020		Outdoor version image by Pete Loeser, 15 May 2020 Based on: https://www.spaceforce.mil

Description of the flag
Order of precedence
USSF Rank flags
Guidons

See also:

Description of the flag

The new U.S. Space Force flag was introduced yesterday (May 15, 2020). The official flag of the Space Force is derived from key and central elements of the seal of the United States Space Force, presented on a black field fringed in platinum with the words "United States Space Force" and Roman numerals MMXIX (2019) below the seal.
source: https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2189185/space-force-flag-unveiled-at-white-house

More info re new flag:
source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/space-force-flag/index.html

The Space Force marks the first new service and accompanying service flag in more than 72 years, according to the White House. .... (according to Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond)

The dark blue and white flag is emblazoned with "United States Space Force" and Roman numerals MMXIX (2019) and features a globe, a Delta Wing, an elliptical orbit, a white Polaris, two clusters of small stars and three larger stars, according to the White House.
The design is meant to represent the vast recesses of outer space, with the globe signifying the Space Force fighters' home and the Delta Wing drawing the force's ties to the US Air Force in symbolizing change and innovation. The elliptical orbit is meant to signify defense and protection, as well as interagency cooperation and allied partnerships, and the white Polaris represents the force's constant vigilance, the White House said.
The flag was produced by artists and crafts people at the Defense Logistics Agency flag room in Philadelphia and approved by Trump this past January, the same month the newest branch of government was unveiled.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/politics/space-force-star-trek-logo-donald-trump/index.html

The official unveiling comes almost two years after Trump https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/18/politics/trump-space-command-creation/index.html the Department of Defense and the Pentagon to establish a Space Force. They officially became the sixth branch of armed forces last December when Trump signed the annual National Defense Authorization Act into law, and announced Raymond would be the first Chief of Space Operations.

More information:
source:https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2020/05/15/trump-presented-us-space-force-flag-promises-super-duper-missile/#14db816e1792

CRITICAL QUOTE
"The delta in the middle, that's the symbol that space communities use for years and years and years. The North Star signifies our core value, our guiding light, if you will," Gen. Jay Raymond - head of the Space Force - said at Friday's ceremony. "And the orbit around the globe signifies the space cape colors that fuel our American way of life."
Bill Garrison, 16 May 2020

The DLA indeed does procure and distribute military flags, but they are designed by the artists at the US Army Institute of Heraldry in Fort Belvoir, VA.
Dave Fowler, 17 May 2020

US Space Command is a separate organization from USSF. It is one of eleven joint combatant commands, like Central Command and European Command that take forces from all the services for perform an operational mission.

The USSF's chief of space operations is also temporarily the commander of US Space Command, but that will be split around October 1.
Dave Fowler, 18 May 2020

The US Space Force is not a unified command, combatant command, or sub-unified command. It is a new branch of the United States armed forces. It is the second branch of the armed forces under the Department of the Air Force, just as the US Marine Corps is a second branch of the armed forces under the Department of the Navy. The US Space Force is totally and completely separate from any military command; it is a branch of service, with its own troops ("space cadets?"), it's own rank and command structure, and its own table of organization.

So, the United States military now consists of six branches of service: in order of seniority, the US Army, the US Marine Corps, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the US Space Force, and the US Coast Guard (under the Department of Homeland Security, except for wartime/war zone deployments).

Combatant commands (COCOMs) are joint military commands established to oversee specific theaters of operation or specific functions: US Central Command (USCENTCOM) is responsible for the Middle East, US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for South America, US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is responsible for Asia-Pacific, US European Command (USEUCOM) is responsible for Europe and Israel, US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) is responsible for Africa, US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is responsible for North America, US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is responsible for worldwide transportation and logistics, US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is responsible for worldwide strategic deterrence, US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is responsible for worldwide special operations, US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) is responsible for worldwide cyber operations, and US Space Command (USSPACECOM) is responsible for "worldwide" space operations, taking over some of that mission from USSTRATCOM.

Each COCOM is not a service unto itself, but is a joint command with troops, equipment, and forces provided by multiple services to carry out US military operations within the assigned theater or function. So, the US Space Force will likely be providing troops and equipment to support USSPACECOM... as will the US Air Force, and possibly the US Navy, US Army, and/or US Marine Corps.
Randy Young, 2 June 2020

Order of Precedence

This White House photo confirms the suspected order of precedence including the US Space Force flag:
1) US Army (out of the picture frame)
2) US Marine Corps
3) US Navy
4) US Air Force
5) US Space Force
6) US Coast Guard

At present, it does not have any campaign streamers attached, but I expect there will be a concerted effort by the Air Force Historical Research Agency to compile a list of actions that Air Force Space Command units have participated in since its inception in 1982. (Contrary to popular belief, expeditionary space units do deploy into combat zones).
Dave Fowler, 21 June 2020

As a matter of practice, the two USSF four-star generals, the CSO and VCSO are only using positional flags right now. If a third USSF officer were to be appointed to be commander of USSPACECOM, then he or she would use the four-star flag.
I haven't yet seen a 2-star flag in the wild, but reputable flag manufacturers that sell Govspec flags, sell all four rank flags.
Dave Fowler, 9 June 2021

USSF Rank Flags

USSF flags that are yet to come:

Rank flags for 1, 2, 3 and 4 star officers, whatever they end up being titled. My guess is that they will be black with silver stars.

Positional flags for:
Chief of Space Operations
Vice Chief of Space Operations
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General

Organizational flags and guidons for a number of echelons:
Commands
Wings, or similar organization
Groups, or similar organization
Squadrons, or similar organizations

Since 95% of the USSF's units will lineally descend from USAF units, expect a heavy Air Force influence on organizational insignias.
Dave Fowler, 17 May 2020

The Institute of Heraldry has published the illustrations for the following US Space Force flags:
*Service flag
*Chief of Space Operations
*Vice Chief of Space Operations
*Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
*4-star general
*3-star lieutenant general
*2-star major general
*1-star brigadier general
*headquarters guidon

https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/HeraldryMulti.aspx?CategoryId=10923
Dave Fowler, 6 August 2021

There is a 4-star flag that could be used for generals as well. As a practical matter, it would probably only be used by a Space Force general commanding US Space Command, as the CSO and VCSO have their own positional flags. https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/HeraldryList
Dave Fowler, 17 December 2022

Chief of Space Operations

image by Zachary Harden, 10 August 2020
based on photograph

Divided diagonally black over white with central Space Force badge. Two black stars at hoist, two white stars at fly.
Dave Fowler, 10 August 2020

Vice Chief of Space Operations

image located by Dave Fowler, 6 October 2020

The first vice chief of space operations was nominated last week, and when confirmed, will certainly have a flag as well. As the first two USSF positional flags are patterned after Air Force designs, it seems all but certain that the VCSO flag will be quartered black and white, with four white stars flanking the center delta, globe and orbit.
For reference, the Air Force vice chief of staff flag.
Dave Fowler, 10 August 2020

Although not super clear from this photo, the VCSO positional flag follows the basic pattern of that of the US Air Force Vice Chief of Staff:
https://media.defense.gov/2020/Oct/04/2002510949/-1/-1/0/201001-F-LE393-0019.JPG
Dave Fowler, 6 October 2020

Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force

image by Zachary Harden, 10 August 2020
based on photograph

The first positional flag for the USSF was seen today...that for the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force. The design is very similar to that of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force flag, with a unique central device, and black in lieu of blue.
Dave Fowler, 10 August 2020

Brigadier General

image by Zachary Harden, 15 August 2020

Flag seen at https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2676412/major-general-deanna-m-burt/
Zachary Harden, 31 July 2021

Major General

image by Zachary Harden, 17 August 2020

https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2462036/brigadier-general-stephen-g-purdy-jr/ confirms for a one-star general (Brigadier General), it is a singular white star on a black field. While there are conjectures about the general (four-star) and major general (two-star) flags, there is no photographic evidence of them in use yet.
Zachary Harden, 9 June 2021

Lieutenant General

image by Zachary Harden, 15 August 2020
based on photograph

First view of a general officer rank flag in the US Space Force is that of a lieutenant general. Following the Air Force star pattern, 3 white stars in a horizontal row, on a black field, with silver gray fringe.
Dave Fowler, 15 August 2020