The official moniker, announced by Vice President Pence at a White House ceremony, comes one year after the creation of the newest military branch. The name drew raised eyebrows online.
A Russian satellite hatched from another satellite fired a projectile last week that American military officials say is meant to take out other satellites. Moscow says it's an inspection tool.
The dedication at the Washington National Cathedral of an official Bible of the new U.S. Space Force is being criticized as a violation of laws separating church and state.
"It's not about putting military service members in space," one expert said. The new branch will basically reorganize what the military does in space and elevate it to a single chain of command.
President Trump and Vice President Pence are expected to formally reestablish the U.S. Space Command on Thursday. It's not the Space Force they want, but they intend it as a step in that direction.
It would be under the umbrella of the Air Force to try to simplify the process. This represents a shift; Trump had stated that he wanted a space force that is "separate but equal" from the Air Force.