NASA has a new graphical element. Keith Cowing is underwhelmed. Me, too. Lots of good comments from the readers. I liked this one:

'Market tested research' lands NASA with a triangle with tiny words on each corner?

They tested this where? The planet Triangulus?

Of course, I think that the lack of an inspiring logo is actually toward the bottom of the agency's problems. But I think that this is symptomatic (even, if I can use a word, emblematic) of a general lack of imagination there, on all fronts.

But at least, as Keith illustrates, it's already starting to inspire the crew for today's flight.

Good God that's horrible.

It looks like a 7th grade science fair project backdrop, cooked up on dad's laptop from his car insurance agency. I shudder to think of how many millions will we spend on that logo change NASA wide.

Personally, I'm an old guy and I miss the worms.

Wow! They have got to be kidding. This is what needs to happen to whomever came up with this idiotic emblem:

1) The guilty shall have their shirts removed;
2) This emblem should be painted on the backs of each of the guilty ;
3) Public floggings should commence.

That's the lamest thing I've seen since Soviet music videos. Our space program appears to be in the hands of people who Just Don't Get It on a monumental scale.

I seriously think the current leadership of the larger Star Trek fan clubs could do a better job of running a space agency; certainly a far better job of inspiring the public.

It looks like a 7th grade science fair project backdrop

It looks like thousands of pages from corporate and academic Powerpoint presentations (which indirectly, through mom & dad & teachers, is where the poor 7th graders get it).

This kind of thing has been a big part of my working world for 20 years, god help me. It is produced by people who don't trust their own words to convey an idea of even moderate complexity, but have even less of the skill set needed to do it with graphics.

It just shows, boldly, that NASA has lost all of its ability to inspire, or symbolize. Their new symbol projects what they are, a bureaucracy.

As some else has said before, Power corrupts and PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.

Not Triangulus: Triskelion!

"Particle Man, Particle Man. Particle Man hates Triangle Man."

The Meanball Rules!

The graphic element dangerously resembles the "combustion triangle" for shipboard fires.

Cambias,
that remains to be seen, but at least it's a decent alternative we should e-mail to our elected fed officials. But I've definitely seen better logos at mom and pop stalls at Star Trek conventions and at Comic-Con.

MD,
I agree, which makes it just that much more lame. I'll bet it took somebody 15 minutes to come up with it. I'm sure graphics people everywhere are hooting over it.

...and I still miss the worms.

Steve said:

I'll bet it took somebody 15 minutes to come up with it.

Oh, *if only that were true*.

All of the above sniggering aside, this is one case where the substance is so much better than the appearance. For all of the issues that some/all of us may or may not have with the agency's implementation of the Vision, at least we have an Administrator who gets that space is about human civilization expanding into the solar system.

Why they can't just make THAT their strategic message is, unfortunately, not beyond my knowledge, but is beyond my willingness to comment publicly.

Steve said:

I'll bet it took somebody 15 minutes to come up with it.

Oh, *if only that were true*.

All of the above sniggering aside, this is one case where the substance is so much better than the appearance. For all of the issues that some/all of us may or may not have with the agency's implementation of the Vision, at least we have an Administrator who gets that space is about human civilization expanding into the solar system.

Why they can't just make THAT their strategic message is, unfortunately, not beyond my knowledge, but is beyond my willingness to comment publicly.