Nasa Brings Back Beloved
NASA is turning back time by bringing back a blast from the past – the beloved “worm” logo last used in 1992. The minimalist, sleek emblem is making its triumphant return painted large on the twin rocket boosters for the upcoming Artemis II mission, set to send astronauts around the moon in 2024.
The Return of an Icon
The worm nostalgically reminds many of the youthful excitement and wonder of space exploration in decades past. First introduced in 1975, the logo was created as part of an effort to modernize NASA’s image. The classic blue “meatball” insignia used since the agency’s inception in 1958 conjured up rocket ships and sci-fi fantasy. The sleek, modern worm evoked sophistication and simplicity for the space age.
NASA continued using both logos until 1992 when the meatball was reinstated as the primary symbol. The beloved worm continued living unofficially on merchandise, memorabilia, and the hearts of true space fans. The Artemis II mission brings the minimalist icon back into official use as NASA returns to deep space exploration.
Look at you, @NASA_SLS! Getting your @NASA ‘worm’ logos on for #Artemis II, we see…. 👀🪱🚀
Each letter of the worm logo measures approximately 6 feet and 10 inches in height and altogether, stretches 25 feet from end to end, or a little less than the length of one of the… pic.twitter.com/b1luu80rKR
— NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) February 16, 2024The Logo’s Humble Origins
The worm is the brainchild of Richard Danne and Bruce Blackburn, designers at Danne & Blackburn design firm. In 1974, the National Endowment for the Arts initiated the Federal Design Improvement Program. The effort evaluated the visual identities of over 45 federal agencies with the goal of modernization. Danne and Blackburn saw this as an exciting challenge – how to update an organization as visionary and future-focused as NASA?
Back to the Moon
The Artemis II rocket twin solid boosters now proudly display the 6-foot tall crimson worm logo, two coats of vibrant paint topped by protective clear primer. It spans an impressive 25 feet end-to-end on the massive rockets that will produce over 3.5 million pounds of thrust to propel the Orion space capsule into lunar orbit.
Astronauts will journey farther into space than any humans in over 50 years since the final Apollo moon landing in 1972. The resurrection of the symbolic worm for the mission reminds many of the glory days when NASA captivated a nation, reaching new feats in exploration through ambition, innovation, and determination.
The Future is Now
The minimalist worm, free of extra bells and whistles, perfectly encapsulates the Artemis program’s streamlined approach to returning Americans to the moon. The logo honors NASA’s storied past while the mission itself opens up the future possibilities of renewed lunar exploration, long-term presence on the moon, and eventually, manned missions to Mars.
The sleek worm paired with the powerful new rocket is a fitting metaphor – both simple and sophisticated. For Artemis II and beyond, the iconic logo signifies NASA regaining that ambitious drive for progress, fueled by equal parts nostalgia and urgency. More thrilling moon missions are slated to come, writing the next proud chapters in humanity’s spacefaring history.
