NASA Logo
The NASA logo uses 3 primary colors. Its dominant color is Space Explorer (#0B3D91, closest Pantone 6104 C). NASA operates in the Aerospace & Defense industry.
- Color family
- blue
- Industry
- Aerospace & Defense
- Brand popularity
- Top 1% of indexed brands
- Website
- nasa.gov
Design analysis
NASA operates two distinct official marks: the 1959 "meatball" insignia and the 1975 "worm" logotype, both reinstated for concurrent use in 2020. The meatball is a complex emblem — a dark blue disc representing a planet, scattered white stars, a white elliptical orbit path, a red chevron suggesting a supersonic wing, and white serif lettering spelling NASA. The worm is a minimalist wordmark of custom red letterforms with the crossbars removed from the A's. The meatball's illustrative density makes it difficult to reproduce below roughly 25 mm; fine stars and the orbit line fill in, and the chevron loses definition. The worm scales cleanly to favicon size because it relies solely on distinctive letter shapes. In the aerospace sector, where contractors favor abstract swooshes and geometric deltas, NASA's dual system is unusual: a heritage emblem for ceremonial and public-facing uses, a strict typographic mark for hardware, vehicles, and digital interfaces.
Logo colors, measured
Colors extracted from the logo image itself (background removed), with share of the mark each color covers.
Click a chip to copy its hex code.
The measured palette — deep blue #0B3D91 (22.8%), vivid red #FC3D21 (2.6%), and white #FFFFFF (2.2%) — mirrors the U.S. flag and the night-sky backdrop of spaceflight. Blue dominates as the field of the meatball and the background for most applications, projecting authority and the vacuum of orbit. Red appears only as the chevron in the meatball and the entirety of the worm, providing a high-contrast accent that reads on white, blue, or photographic backgrounds. White serves as the knockout for stars, lettering, and the orbit line. This restrained three-color system avoids the gradients and metallic effects common in defense branding, ensuring legibility on thermal blankets, embroidered patches, and low-resolution telemetry displays.
Variations & downloads
Color variants generated from the vector source — free to download for identification, editorial and research use.
Visually similar logos
Nearest neighbors in visual embedding space — marks that share shape and structure with the NASA logo, regardless of color or industry.
Brand web palette
Colors NASA uses across its website — the broader brand system around the logo.
About NASA
NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is an independent agency of the United States federal government. Founded on July 29, 1958, NASA was established to pioneer space exploration and scientific research on aeronautics and aerospace. Its headquarters are located in Washington, D. C., United States. NASA's primary mission is to advance knowledge in the field of space, and it achieves this through various activities and programs. The agency develops and launches space probes, satellites, and telescopes to study the Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. They also conduct human spaceflight missions, such as the famous Apollo moon landings. As a global entity, NASA collaborates with international partners, including space agencies from other countries, on numerous missions and projects. Through its partnerships, it promotes cooperation in space research and exploration. Some notable international collaborations include the International Space Station (ISS) and joint missions like the Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars Rover missions. NASA operates several research centers and facilities across the United States. These centers include the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, among others. These centers work on various aspects of space exploration, ranging from spacecraft design and development to scientific research. Internationally, NASA has collaborations and partnerships with agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). These collaborations allow for shared knowledge and resources, expanding the boundaries of scientific research and exploration. As a government agency, NASA does not engage in commercial sales or compete in the traditional sense. However, they do partner with private companies and organizations to advance space exploration technology. Notable par
Questions about the NASA logo
Why does NASA use two different logos at the same time?
The meatball (1959) carries historic weight and public recognition from the Apollo era. The worm (1975) was designed for cleaner reproduction on spacecraft, vehicles, and early digital systems. After the worm was retired in 1992, public demand and practical needs led the agency to reinstate both in 2020, assigning each to contexts where it performs best.
Can I use the NASA logo on my product or website?
NASA's insignia, logotype, and seal are protected by U.S. law (14 CFR 1221). Commercial use requires a formal Space Act Agreement or licensing review to prevent implied endorsement. Editorial, educational, and personal non-commercial uses are generally permitted if the marks are not altered and no endorsement is suggested.
What color is the NASA logo?
The dominant color of the NASA logo is Space Explorer (hex #0B3D91). The closest Pantone match is 6104 C.
How many colors does the NASA logo have?
The NASA logo uses 3 primary colors: #0B3D91, #FC3D21, #FFFFFF.
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The NASA logo is a trademark of its owner, shown here for identification and design research. Color data is measured from the public mark by LogoLabs; analysis is editorial commentary. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.