Denise and Mike at the Cape just last week.
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Greetings from the Okudas!
NASA launched the Ares I-X vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. The successful Ares I-X Development Flight Test was designed to help NASA engineers gain valuable data to help with the design of the next generation of America’s human launch vehicles. The Ares launch vehicles, teamed with the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicles, will replace the space shuttle and provide safer, more reliable space transport for our astronauts. Eventually, the Ares boosters may be a vital link in returning astronauts to the Moon, then on to Mars and beyond. I worked with the Ares team to develop emblems for Project Ares, as well as the Ares I-X Development Flight Test, and Project Constellation, which is the overall family of exploration systems projects. Normally, NASA doesn’t put project logos on the sides of their rockets, so I nearly fell out of my chair when I learned that the Ares I-X vehicle would carry three of my designs on its exterior.
The launch was pretty awesome, too!
Afterwards, NASA declared the test a success, calling it a “huge step forward for NASA’s exploration goals.”
- Mike
For more info on Ares I-X:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/index.html
Visit Mike and Denise at their web site:
http://web.me.com/michaelokuda/michael_okuda/Mike.html
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(Below) Ares roars off the pad bearing Mike’s mission logos. NASA knows cool.
Holy mackerel, not one, but three no less! Congrats, Mike! Wowsers! And Go NASA, Go!
(sO much coolness)
LLP,
deg
One small step for an Okuda, but a giant leap for Okudakind!
Do I detect a subtle starfleet-esque delta/arrowhead in the ‘whoosh’ on the Constellation logo?
Regardless, these are nice logos, and congrats to Mike. It must be quite a feeling to see your designs heading skyward in such spectacular fashion!
Congratulations to all involved. Great graphical work by Mr. Okuda and great work by NASA.
“The Human Adventure Continues.”
Cool work and snazzy shirts to boot. Nice stuff, Mike!
Thanks all for the kind words! It is a great honor for these emblems to represent the amazing people who worked so very hard to plan and launch this successful test.
Angelus: No, the red “vector” is borrowed from the NASA insignia (sometimes called the “meatball”), which was designed by Joseph Modarelli in 1958. It is actually an illustration of a hypersonic windfoil design that was being studied at Langley at the time. I used it to represent the importance of Constellation to the NASA mission of exploration.
-Mike
I see that now, although I never knew the origin of the shape. Nice to know the thoughts behind the design.
Congratulations again! After this summer’s patch, I wondered how you’d keep the excitement going and not let it just become old hat (if that’s even possible), but the privilege of designing these three patches and seeing them soar away like that…wow!
Made a point to watch the launch live. What a fantastic site on the pad. I knew it was much taller then the shuttle stack but still it hits you seeing it waiting for launch.
Here’s to a robust and daring future in space, and I am sure Mike’s designs will be there every step of the way!
I missed the rescheduling, but caught the video. Nice start for NASA.
Too bad the booster got dented on the rebound. But it’s not to be reused again.
Here’s hoping Nasa can continue with it’s space program with another trip to the Moon, Mars and beyond!
Mike, I know that several artists like to put in a numerical symbol with the stars, is there a reason why you chose 5 and 5?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Enterprise arrowhead was intentionally derived from the NASA insignia. I think it’s great that Mike Okuda’s designs are actually going into space now. It just makes sense, I think.
Also, it looks like Mike and Denise are standing in front of a (rather small) Borg Cube!
Doug, I know this is totaly off topic, but do you have any pics of the USS “Raging Queen” from the DS9 episode – “A time to stand”?
congratulations
Okuda/StarTrek designs in real Space = priceless!
Too bad they almost never use the “main” NASA Exploration logo (top right)
http://www.space.com/images/060814_nasa_moon_logos_02.jpg
Why is that?
Any chance for some more information on that particular Logo?
Very cool, and well done Mr. Okuda!
I really hope the White House doesn’t pull the plug on this….
Gotta love the space program.
And this was even featured as today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/
Congratulations Mike! Can’t wait for Man to make his return to space exploration instead of leaving it to robot probes.
Perhaps NASA should give Doug a call for a Mars mission ship design.
Afterwards, JNG declared Okuda’s contributions a success, calling it a “huge step forward for NASA’s graphic awesomeness goals.”
Mike! Congratulations! I can only imagine what it has been like to see something that you have designed go up into space. Okuda designs – populating both the fictional and real Final Frontier!
Congrats Mike! Fly, baby, fly!
Right Graphics! Wrong stuff. While the Ares I-X launch was great to watch, Ares I is a flawed design. Hopefully it will be replaced by an EELV, Jupiter 120, or SDLV.
In fact, the Augustine Commission was quite clear that it did not find fault with the Ares I design. The Commission did suggest that other launch vehicles might be considered, if the White House elects to pursue certain policy directions. Nevertheless, not only did the Commission endorse the essential technical soundness of the Ares I design, they recommended that the Ares I-X flight should be conducted.
-Mike
The Ares I-X had already been built. There was nothing to loose by the time the commission made that recommendation.
Ares I has performance issues (they have had to lighten Orion by reducing capability several times), vibration issues (had to add shock absorbers to keep the crew from being shook to death), and worst of all is very marginally considered “shuttle derived” (the first stage went from a 4 segment SRB to a 5 segment requiring a redesign and changes in the production of said booster).
Heck, Ares I-X didn’t even use a 5 segment first stage as Ares I would.
Love your work Mike, but Ares I is backing the wrong horse.
If you want to get some good inside feel for how the engineers see things, go read the forums at nasaspaceflight.com
From working on Star Trek to seeing your work actually trekking to the stars. Way to go, Mr. Okuda!
What is even better is I was flying out of Orlando the other day and the NASA kiosk at the airport had patches of these designed you could by and add to your jackets and such!
SO COOL…
Great emblems!
There had better be an Okuda patch on the moon by 2015, or I’ll know the reason why!
Ha, saw/heard Andre Bormanis mention Mike for the Heisenberg Compensator last night on The History Channel show, The Universe.
LLP,
deg
As a designer I am used to seeing my work in ads, direct mail stuff, posters and corportate identity and other media printed in mass qauantities, but it’s gotta be cool to have logos go to space.
Great job, Mike!
Great job Mike! I went to Space Camp in Huntsville as part of their Space Camp for Teachers program. One of the freebies I got was a pin of your Ares Emblem. I wear it proudly every day on my ID lanyard. Keep up the good work!
And by the way, Sojourner. I’m sure most of the people here are familiar with the discussion surrounding Ares. I would suggest however that a congratulatory thread for the Okudas is probably not the most polite place to bring it up.
Congrats, Mike!!!!! We’re very proud of you!