The Pentagon's new US Space Force logo appears to have boldly gone where Star Trek went before. President Donald Trump unveiled the Space Force logo on Friday, writing on Twitter that he had consulted with military leaders and designers before presenting the blue-and-white symbol, which features an arrowhead shape centered on a planetary background and encircled by the words, "United States Space Force" and "Department of the Air Force."

But the logo bears a striking similarity to that of Star Trek's Starfleet Command.

George Takei, who played Mr Sulu in the original Star Trek TV series and films, tweeted in response: "Ahem. We are expecting some royalties from this."

The logo, which bears the date 2019 in Roman numerals, is also similar to that of Air Force Space Command, from which Space Force was created by legislation that Mr Trump signed last month.

Space Force is the first new military service in the US since the Air Force was created in 1947. It is meant mainly to improve protection of US satellites and other space assets, rather than to conduct combat in outer space.

The idea became popular for Mr Trump at his political rallies. He originally wanted a Space Force that was "separate but equal" to the Army, Navy and Air Force, but instead Congress made it part of the Department of the Air Force.