Queue the Star Lord and Rocket Raccoon jokes.
Vice President Mike Pence on Friday announced that members of the Space Force will be known as “Guardians.”
“Sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and guardians will be defending our nation for generations to come,” Pence said.
The veep made the comments during a White House ceremony marking the service’s upcoming first birthday on Dec. 20.
The Space Force said the name was picked out of hundreds of submissions during a yearlong process.
“Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations,” the service said in a tweet, noting that the motto of the former Air Force Space Command was “Guardians of the High Frontier.”
“The name Guardians connects our proud heritage and culture to the important mission we execute 24/7, protecting the people and interest of the U.S. and its allies.”
Several people on social media were quick to also point out the connection to the Marvel Comics film franchise “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
The name announcement follows the July unveiling of the Space Force logo and motto: “semper supra,” or “always above.”
The force’s seal was revealed by President Trump in January — and observers at the time noted a strong resemblance to the symbol of Star Trek’s Star Fleet.
Trump officially launched the sixth branch of the military in December 2019.
