JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
JPL Life
.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Has a Bold, New Look

Nov 17, 2020
The sign, as seen from a distance, on JPL'S Spacecraft Assembly Facility. The sign is a vinyl covering stretched over an aluminum frame.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The 30-foot NASA logo, nicknamed "the meatball," is hoisted in preparation for its installation.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Full Image Details
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

A giant version of NASA's classic red, white, and blue logo now proudly adorns a building that has played a central role in space-exploration history.

A new 30-foot NASA logo has been installed on the side of the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the Jet Propulsion Lab to welcome JPLers and visitors alike. The red, white, and blue insignia - designed in 1959 and nicknamed "the meatball" - went up on Oct. 17 and can be spotted from the freeway nearby.

"We have two strands of DNA - one NASA and one Caltech. We wanted to proudly show our NASA heritage with this logo," said JPL Director Michael Watkins. "With the appearance of the new sign, I think that more than a few people will be surprised to realize there's a NASA center tucked away right here in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains."

A giant version of NASA's classic red, white, and blue logo now proudly adorns a building that has played a central role in space-exploration history.

Credit: NASA-JPL/Caltech

Weighing 6.5 tons, the logo is a vinyl covering stretched over an aluminum frame, then fastened to a steel structural ring. It was assembled in a parking lot at JPL before being hoisted via a 50-ton crane and fastened onto the side of the High Bay of the Spacecraft Assembly Facility, the robot factory where NASA's twin Voyager spacecraft, Galileo, and all of the agency's Mars rovers were built. Structural steel beams were welded in place to support the new sign.

The job of creating, sizing, and placing the sign fell to The Studio, part of JPL's graphic design and visual strategy team. The historic location they chose for the sign was only fitting, although the decision was grounded in pragmatism.

Get the Latest JPL News

Subscribe to the Newsletter

"We were trying to find a building that worked both in location and was the right size, height, and shape," said Dan Goods, manager of The Studio. "While we were originally just looking for a proper surface, the fact that it's our High Bay was a happy accident that gives it more significance."

JPL's location at the base of the foothills dates back to 1936, when a group of rocket enthusiasts, working under Caltech graduate student Frank Malina, conducted rocket-firing tests at the site. JPL, a division of Caltech, grew throughout the 1940s and '50s and ultimately built and helped launch America's first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. By the end of that year, Congress established NASA and JPL became a part of the agency. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

Learn about JPL's firsts: an interactive timeline
Glimpse JPL Then & Now
Explore Vintage JPL on Flickr

News Media Contact

Matthew Segal

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

818-354-8307

matthew.j.segal@jpl.nasa.gov

2020-221

Related News

JPL Life .

Explore NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory With the New Virtual Tour

JPL Life .

Spinoff Highlights NASA Technology Paying Dividends in the US Economy

JPL Life .

From NASA JPL's Mailroom to Mars and Beyond

JPL Life .

New NASA Posters Feature Cosmic Frights for Halloween

JPL Life .

NASA Wins 4 Webbys, 4 People's Voice Awards

JPL Life .

Today Is the Last Day to Vote for NASA's 12 Webby Award Nominations

Mars .

The Man Who Wanted to Fly on Mars

JPL Life .

Space History Is Made in This NASA Robot Factory

JPL Life .

Which Missions Get Emblems on JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility's Wall?

JPL Life .

JPL Student Invention Challenge Goes Into Overtime

Explore More

About JPL .

Who We Are

Lecture Series .

The von Kármán Lecture Series: 2021

The Studio at JPL

Slice of History

Topic .

JPL Life

Image .

Slice of History - JPL at the Rose Parade

Image .

Slice of History - Holidays at JPL

Image .

Slice of History - JPL Blood Drives

Image .

Slice of History - Ulysses Anniversary

Image .

Slice of History - Viking Orbiter 2 Anniversary

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors of JPL
JPL History
Documentary Series
Virtual Tour
Annual Reports
Missions
All
Current
Past
Future
News
All
Earth
Mars
Solar System
Universe
Technology
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Infographics
Engage
JPL and the Community
Lecture Series
Public Tours
Events
Team Competitions
JPL Speakers Bureau
Topics
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Stars and Galaxies
Exoplanets
Technology
JPL Life
For Media
Contacts and Information
Press Kits
More
Asteroid Watch
Robotics at JPL
Subscribe to Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Manager: Veronica McGregor
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Randal Jackson, Naomi Hartono