NASA Revives Historic Worm Logo for Moon-Bound Rocket
NASA is set to revive its iconic worm logo as it prepares to send its first crew-bearing rocket to the moon in decades. The agency’s Exploration Ground Systems recently began painting the bright red logo on the Space Launch System’s two solid rocket boosters at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the upcoming Artemis II mission.
The historic worm logo, originally created in 1975, features bold and minimalist worm-like letters that symbolize the modern aerospace era. After a nearly 30-year retirement, the logo made a comeback in 2020 for limited use on select missions and products. Now, it will adorn the side of the Artemis II rocket boosters, adding a touch of nostalgia to this historic mission.
The process of painting the logo involves using a laser projector to mask off the design with tape before applying the first coat of paint. Each letter measures an impressive 6 feet and 10 inches in height, stretching 25 feet across both boosters. This striking display will not only decorate the rocket’s boosters but will also appear on the Orion spacecraft’s crew module adapter.
The Artemis II flight test, scheduled for launch in September 2025, marks an important milestone for NASA. It will be the agency’s first Artemis mission with a crew of astronauts aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The primary objective of this mission is to travel around the Moon and confirm that the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed in a real deep space environment.
This flight test will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to make history by landing the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon’s surface. The Artemis program is part of NASA’s broader vision to establish sustainable missions to the Moon and eventually prepare for human exploration of Mars.
Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, expressed his excitement about these upcoming missions, stating, “Together, these test flights will demonstrate the capabilities we need to land the first woman and next man on the Moon and enable sustainable missions for decades to come. We will take the experience gained exploring the Moon to prepare for the next giant leap to Mars.”
As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the revival of the worm logo serves as a reminder of the agency’s rich history and its commitment to pushing the boundaries of human achievement. The iconic logo will not only be a visual representation of this historic mission but also a symbol of NASA’s dedication to inspiring future generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers.
With the Artemis II mission just a few years away, anticipation is building as NASA prepares to embark on a new era of lunar exploration. As the world watches, the agency’s efforts to return humans to the Moon will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the history of space exploration.
