NASA's 'worm' logo makes a comeback with SpaceX launch in May - Digital Journal

After close to three decades, NASA is bringing back its "worm" logo, a sleek modern design born of the Federal Design Improvement Program, and officially introduced in 1975. Created by the firm of Danne & Blackburn, the logo was honored in 1984 by President Reagan for its simplistic, yet innovative design. The worm logo replaced the official NASA "meatball" logo and is one of the world's most powerful logos. The logo features a patriotic red chevron wing piercing a blue sphere, representing a planet, with white stars, and an orbiting spacecraft - a literal interpretation of the agency's activities.

Space Shuttle Discovery landing at Barksdale AFB, LA

USAF

The new "worm" design was introduced in 1975 as part of a wider overhaul of federal agency graphics instigated by Richard Nixon's administration. And while the new design was popular with branding and design industries, as well as generation Xers who had not grown up with the "meatball," it was met with skepticism and quickly given its derogatory nickname. "I think the big problem was how it was announced," said Bill Barry, NASA's chief historian, in a phone interview with CNN. "It was developed by a very small team and only a few people at NASA knew anything about it. Many found out the old logo was being obliterated when new letterhead paper was shipped to them from headquarters, with no further explanations. People were just incensed."

Sightings of the NASA logotype (the "worm"), from left: Astronaut Mae Jemison preparing for launch; astronaut Bruce McCandless on an untethered spacewalk; the Hubble Space Telescope; astronaut Guy Bluford; and astronaut Sally Ride.

NASA

"One of the reasons why the Nixon administration wanted to change NASA's logo was that they wanted to change NASA's mission itself, to make it a generalized problem-solving agency and contribute more to the economy -- which would mean less space exploration," Barry said. "The worm was intentionally designed without any stars or any aircraft in it, but just letters, because NASA could then be anything you wanted it to be, including not a space agency." With the appointment of NASA administrator, Daniel Goldin, in 1992, the worm was retired because Goldin thought the resurrection of the old logo from the moon landings would help boost morale.

"Ironically enough, one of the places where the worm remained and still is today is right in the NASA headquarters building, nine floors below Goldin's office," said Barry. "And it's still there, because it's carved into granite."

NASA

"Remember, this is just a few years after the Challenger accident and the failed launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. Goldin was brought in to fix problems, especially the morale of the workforce, which was in the pits," said Barry. The SpaceX Falcon 9 launch in May will mark the logo's return to public prominence, however, the worm never truly went away. "Ironically enough, one of the places where the worm remained and still is today is right in the NASA headquarters building, nine floors below Goldin's office," said Barry. "And it's still there because it's carved into granite."

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2020-04-27 16:23:40Z
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