EMBLEMS OF EXPLORATION Logos of the NACA and NASA Monographs in Aerospace History, no. 56 Joseph R. Chambers Mark A. Chambers National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Communications NASA History Program Office Washington, DC 20546 NASA SP-2015-4556 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Chambers, Joseph R. Emblems of exploration : logos of the NACA and NASA / by Joseph R. Chambers and Mark A. Chambers, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Communications, Public Outreach Division, History Program Office. pages cm. — (Monographs in aerospace history ; #56) Includes bibliographical references. 1. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration—Insignia. 2. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration—Medals. I. Chambers, Mark A. II. Title. TL521.312.C438 2015 629.402’7—dc23 2015019236 This publication is available as a free download at http://www.nasa.gov/ebooks. Contents CHAPTER 2 Preface . v Maturity and Pride, 1941–1957 21 Acknowledgments . ix Zenith of the NACA . .21 . CHAPTER 1 An Official Insignia . 22 Wings of Eagles, 1915–1940 1 The “Modified Standard” Emblem . 24 . Applications of Standard and Modified Wings. 25. Beginnings . 1 Building Emblems 25 The Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory . 2. Aircraft Markings 29 The First Wings . .2 . Insignia and Deception 40 Emblems at the Flight Line . 4 . Employee Applications . .41 . Aircraft Markings 4 Lapel Pins 41 The Shield 9 Service Pins 43 Ground Crews and Equipment 9 Badges 45 Birth of the NACA Wings . 12 . Retirement Plaques 49 Applications of the NACA Wings. .12 . Publications and Correspondence 49 Building Emblems 12 Miscellaneous Applications 51 Publications and Correspondence 19 The NACA Seal . 53 . John Victory: No NACA Insignia . 20 Anticipating the Future . 56 iii iv Contents CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 6 A New Agency, 1958–1959 57 Back to the Future, 1992–Today 105 Search for a New Logo . .57 . Rebirth of the Meatball . 105. The Vision Begins 58 The “Wormball” . 108 . The NASA Seal . 60 Overdue Recognition . 108 . The Path to Presidential Approval 62 The Designer Passes . 110 . The NASA Insignia . 66 The Swoosh . 112 . The Red Wing 67 Applications of the Meatball . 115 Applications During Transition . 72 Buildings and Exhibits 115 Aircraf t 116 Space Shuttle 119 CHAPTER 4 Service Pins 122 Fly Me to the Moon, 1960–1974 75 Distinguished Service Medal 122 Honor Award Certificates 124 Insignia and Seal: Onward and Upward . 75 Retirement Plaques 124 Criticism 75 Internal Newsletters 125 Applications of the Logos. 78 . Publications 125 Aeronautics 78 Miscellaneous Applications . 126. Human Spaceflight . .82 . The NACA/NASA Centennial . .128 . Publications 88 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 5 Summary 129 Controversy, 1975–1991 89 The NASA Logotype . 89 About the Authors . 131. The New Insignia . 90 The NASA History Series . 133 . Implementation 92 Index . 141. The Shuttle Emblems. 93 . Applications of the Logotype. .93 . Buildings 94 Aircraft 96 Space Shuttle 98 Satellites 102 Publications and Correspondence 103 Anniversary Logos . 104 Preface In 1992, Jerry C. South, Jr., a NASA researcher at the In the summer of 1992, Chambers interviewed NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, several key participants involved in the design pro- posed a challenge to A. Gary Price, Head of the Office cess, reviewed correspondence, studied documents and of External Affairs at Langley. The new administrator technical reports, and obtained relevant material from of NASA, Daniel S. Goldin, had recently made a deci- the NASA photographic archives at Langley. The story sion to reinstitute the well-known “meatball” insignia that emerged from his efforts was reported to Price and as part of his effort to revitalize the Agency. South had his organization, which in turn sent samples of some knowledge of some aspects of the origin of the emblem of the documented results to NASA Headquarters for that had been designed 34 years earlier in 1958, and official review.2 Unfortunately, the results of the study he pointed out that the details of the conception and were never published. history of the logo had never been documented. Since In 2012, Chambers’ father, Joseph R. Chambers, Price’s organization was the designated Langley focal discovered the 20-year-old notes that had been accu- point for such historical information at the time, South mulated by Mark and decided to pursue the story with suggested that the topic would be an excellent project the intention of formally documenting the details to for External Affairs.1 Mark Chambers, the coauthor of the fullest extent possible. By that time, many of the this publication, worked for Price and was assigned the key participants of the events that had occurred almost task of researching the genesis of the emblem, includ- 55 years earlier had passed away, and much more ing interviewing key individuals known to be essential research was required to fill in the blanks. to the NASA meatball story. After the completion of additional research and new interviews, a lecture on the evolution of the NASA seal and insignia was presented to Langley staff and 1 South, J. C., Jr., Meatball Logo Based on Wind Tunnel Model, The Researcher News, Langley’s in-house newsletter, 2 Chambers, Mark A., “History of the Red ‘V’ in the NASA NASA Langley Research Center, 14 August 1992, p. 2. Meatball,” NASA History Office File 4542, 31 July 1992. v vi Preface the public in 2013, to good reception.3 The presenta- the photographs showing early applications of NACA tion was then followed by overview articles in News logos have deteriorated beyond repair with age or have & Notes, the NASA History Program Office’s quar- disappeared from archival collections. On the other terly newsletter.4 As interest in the topic continued hand, the majority of textual records at NARA have to grow, and with the encouragement of the NASA been preserved in excellent physical condition and thus Headquarters History Program Office, the authors provided invaluable information for this effort. expanded the story of the NASA emblems to include As might be expected, surprises occurred in the additional research and discussion of the logos used by review of the NACA data. For example, it was found NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee that the NACA operated for its first 25 years without for Aeronautics (NACA). an official insignia and for almost 40 years without a The expansion of the effort to document the com- seal during an age noted for heraldry and organiza- plete account of the design, evolution, and applications tional emblems. The historical data gathered to date do of the NACA and NASA emblems was deemed par- not permit identification of the designer of the origi- ticularly appropriate in recognition of the 100th anni- nal NACA logo. Fortunately, archived information did versary of the NACA/NASA in 2015. The centennial permit identification of precise dates and descriptions celebration includes numerous historical reviews, sym- of changes that occurred during the evolution of the posia, and media coverage that will benefit from the NACA insignia and seal. material herein. Documentation of the design, evolution, and appli- Research on the NACA emblems was especially cations of NASA emblems proved to be a less difficult challenging. The history and evolution of the sym- task. Key individuals and agencies involved in the bols had not been documented prior to the current design process were identified, the symbolism of cer- research. Tracking down official documents and pho- tain elements was determined, changes that occurred tographs for the period 1915–1958 required extensive over the years were documented, and examples of investigation of current archives at NASA Centers applications were selected. Research on the NASA and trips to the National Archives and Records logos also produced unexpected results and findings. Administration (NARA) at College Park, Maryland, For example, the background behind the design of the where many of the documents and photographs of the red “slash” exhibited in the NASA insignia revealed an NACA laboratories are stored. Unfortunately, some of undocumented association with previously classified research activities. Also surprising was the unwilling- ness of organizations—especially flight research oper- 3 Chambers, Joseph R., “Wings, Meatballs, Worms and ations—to follow directives regarding the application Swooshes,” Lecture presented at NASA Langley Research and modification of logos. Center Colloquium Series, 9 July 2013, http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=uLRMNNQiE0Q&feature=youtu.be The material presented herein is organized chrono- (accessed on 11 August 2014). logically and covers the subject from the first days of the 4 Joseph Chambers, “The NASA Seal and Insignia, Part 1,” NACA in 1915 to the current-day situation of NASA. News & Notes of the NASA History Program Office, 30, no. 2 (2013), pp. 11–15; and “The NASA Seal and Insignia, Inputs from historical archivists at the current NASA Part 2,” News & Notes, 30, no. 3 (2013), pp. 1–4. Back Centers have contributed a significant amount of issues of News & Notes are available at http://history.nasa. material on the logos of the NACA and NASA at their gov/histnews.htm. Preface vii specific Centers. Particularly valuable information on Discussions in each chapter refer to certain NACA the chronology of the NACA and NASA logos and the laboratories and NASA Centers as they existed in spe- participation of the U.S. Army is also discussed. cific time periods before and after the establishment of This publication has two primary objectives regard- NASA in 1958. For the reader’s information, the loca- ing the NACA and NASA logos. The first objective tions and name changes of the sites through the years is to provide, to the extent possible, detailed informa- are as follows: tion about the designers and design processes for the emblems. The second objective of the discussions is Hampton, Virginia: Langley Memorial to briefly illustrate the applications of these respected Aeronautical Laboratory (LMAL 1920–1948); and admired insignias and seals within the cultures of Langley Aeronautical Laboratory (LAL each agency.