The U.S. Space Force Indo-Pacific command proudly celebrated the Space Force’s fifth anniversary milestone Dec. 19, with a ceremony featuring Guardians alongside other services’ members and community officials.

Established by Congress Dec. 20, 2019, Space Force has quickly become a vital branch of the U.S. military, alongside the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Its Guardians are responsible for tracking tens of thousands of space objects, protecting U.S. and allied interests in space, and conducting military space operations including space domain awareness, missile warning, satellite communication, navigation, and supporting critical intelligence and cyber operations.

“The establishment of the Space Force marked a significant milestone in our nation’s history. It signaled a commitment to securing and advancing our interests in space, a domain that is crucial for national security and global stability,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, SPACEFOR-INDOPAC commander. “Our adversaries understand the importance of space power and are moving quickly to not only build up their own space architectures, but to disrupt, degrade, and destroy our space capabilities.”

The idea of a military service dedicated to space was first considered in the 1980s, and then again in the 1990s. Ultimately, the growing challenge from improved Chinese and Russian space capabilities spurred the creation of the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces with the enactment of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

“We’re just starting our long journey,” Mastalir said. “But we have the strong support of those services here before us and the incredible talent and dedication of our Guardians. There’s little doubt the Space Force will be a guiding star as we continue pushing boundaries and achieving greatness.”

Space operations were originally managed by Air Force Space Command, a major command within the U.S. Air Force. However, the Space Force now serves as a dedicated military branch with global responsibilities.

While still aligned under the Department of the Air Force, the Space Force takes the Air Force credo of “Aim High,” to new heights with its own motto “Semper Supra,” which is Latin for ‘Always Above.’ This motto denotes the service’s role in establishing, maintaining and preserving U.S. freedom of operations in the ultimate high ground.