The reissue of NASA’s graphic manual from 40 years ago with the iconic worm logo is set to be relaunched. First published in January of 1976, the NASA Graphics Standards Manual was the first to define the identity of the space agency. Richard Danne and Bruce Blackburn were the creators of this stark logotype that reduced NASA to its simplest form. What was a red, white and blue emblem with white letters is now back to Danne’s original idea. For the first decade, this red-letter logo nicknamed the “worm” was on everything NASA created for a decade.
The wings of the orbiters, spacesuits for the astronauts and even the Hubble Telescope were all branded with the worm logo. In 1992, only sixteen years later, the worm was rejected and the “meatball” logo that we know today was restored from prior to 1976.
Reissue of NASA’s Graphic Manual Promoted by Fans
Jesse Reed and Hamish Smyth have started a kickstarter campaign to remember the worm as the NASA logo they grew up with. The worm is for many people the only symbol for NASA. Reed and Smyth are hoping to reprint the Graphics Standard Manual with its original logo to honor Danne and Blackburn and further preserve the legacy of the worm design. The Kickstarter campaign began on September first.
The campaign is offering hard copies of the manual with files from Danne’s personal archives for $79. Reed and Smyth need to raise at least $158,000 to get 2,000 copies of the manual printed.
A Second Reissue for Reed and Smyth
According to Reed, the reissue of NASA’s graphic manual is more of a reward for people who support the campaign.
Reed wants to keep the attention on the manual itself and to bring back the worm logo. This would not be the first time Reed and Smyth have reissued a guide through Kickstarter, so it’s possible that their knowledge can help them. A reprint of the New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual from 1970 raised about $800,000 dollars that was a lot more than their goal.
Just like the Transit Manual, the NASA manual is a classic, modern design.
Currently, the Kickstarter campaign has about 5,000 people backing up the project and about $523,000 dollars was raised, making it more than three times their goal. Like the New York City graphics manual campaign, they have raised much more than needed to start the reissue. There are still thirty-one days left in the campaign for the reissue of NASA’s graphic manual so that Reed and Smyth can further Danne and Blackburn’s legacy.
