NASA is reviving the old “worm” logo for its upcoming mission to the moon

NASA engineers I've just finished applying the clear top coat The beloved “worm” logo On rocket boosters Artemis IIwhich marks the return of bold red lettering that better embodies The National Center for Aeronautics and Space Administration. the Worm logo It came crawling back, according to space-Bring her Retro The magic of the upcoming lunar mission that will return humans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to return humans to lunar orbit in 2025, while the Artemis 3 mission will see humans return to the lunar surface no later than 2026. space. America's manned mission to the moon is notable news, however TRUE The news here is that the logo we associate with NASA is called “The Worm.” fast! Put on some Beastie BoysY'all, because NASA is at it again.

Truly, the modernist logo is the best logo the agency has ever used. I would go so far as to say that the Uncomplicated logo is one of the most iconic logos of all time, and the best to represent humanity's interplanetary ambitions. I had no idea until today that it was called the worm logo, and it dates back to the 1970s and was designed by designer Richard Dunne.

The worm has now returned to Artemis II, where he will grace the game Huge SLS missiles Reinforcement and Orion Crew unit, according to NASA:

Art and science merge as teams add NASA's “worm” logo to the page SLS (Space Launch System) Solid rocket boosters and Orion spacecraft Crew module converter at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the agency Artemis Second task.

the Creative logo It was introduced in 1975 by Danne & Blackburn as the agency's modern logo. It came out of retirement for about 30 years in 2020 for limited use on specific tasks and products.

NASA Ground exploration systems Prime contractor Jacobs began painting the red logo on the parts that make up the moon rocket's two solid rocket boosters on January 22. To do this, the crew used a laser projector to first mark the location of the logo with tape, then applied two coats of paint and finished by adding several coats of clear primer. Each letter of the worm logo is approximately 6 feet, 10 inches tall, and in total extends 25 feet from end to end, or just under the length of one of the parts of the rocket's booster motor.

The worm logo replaced the so-called Meatballs logo.It is the first logo used by the agency and the original logo carried by NASA's spacecraft. This is further evidence that NASA uses a ridiculous naming system for its logos, and its story has been detailed by Design Week In 2021, shortly after the worm logo reappeared after a hiatus of nearly thirty years:

NASA's Worm was born as a result of the US Federal Design Improvement Program – an initiative launched by then-President Richard Nixon and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Under this scheme, the identities of more than 45 federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Postal Service, were evaluated and redesigned.

[…]

The issued logo was NASA's red, white, and blue insignia designed by James Modarelli just one year after the agency was founded in 1958.

Blackburn once said that the logo, affectionately referred to as the “Meatball,” was unable to handle the renewed attention NASA received after the moon landing.

Blackburn studio partner Dan added to this, which he reflects in an interview with Creative review: “Meatballs was complex, difficult to reproduce, and filled with images of Buck Rogers – clearly born of the classic aviator syndrome in which hype and fantasy dominate logic and reality.”

“our [proposed] He added that the logo was just the opposite: it was clean, progressive, could be read from a mile away, and was easy to use in all media.

[…]

“Their whole job is the future and getting us there,” he said of the challenge he faced in the 2016 documentary “Blackburn,” describing it as one of the toughest challenges he has faced in his career.

Going by the history of the logo, I think it's appropriate to thank Richard Nixon for urging the federal government on the stylistic overhaul that gave us the worm logo, which will soon return to space and herald our return to the moon.