Happy Birthday, Meatball! NASA’s Iconic Logo Celebrates 65 Years

NASA’s “meatball” logo turns 65 on July 15, 2024. Celebrations at NASA Glenn will include a public event and an online campaign to honor the logo’s history and impact. The event will feature various activities and aims to inspire the next generation in science and art.

On July 15, 2024, NASA’s logo is turning 65. The iconic symbol, known affectionately as “the meatball,” was developed at NASA’s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland (now called NASA Glenn). Employee James Modarelli, who started his career at the center as an artist and technical illustrator, was its chief designer.

The red, white, and blue design, which includes elements representing NASA’s space and aeronautics missions, became the official logo of the United States’ new space agency in 1959. A simplified version of NASA’s formal seal, the symbol has launched on rockets, flown to the Moon and beyond, and even adorns the International Space Station.