posted 12-03-2025 04:02 PM               

NASA reveals 'America 250' logo on rocket launching astronauts to the moon

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the upcoming Artemis II mission to the moon, recently remarked that flying during the United States' 250th anniversary has definitely got him and his crew "fired up."

Wiseman was referring to the excitement that their flight is adding to the already milestone year, but as it turns out, he could have been speaking literally. As NASA revealed this week, the two side-mounted motors that will provide the majority of the thrust during the Artemis II crew's launch have been adorned with the nation's logo marking the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

posted 01-01-2026 04:53 PM               

NASA moon rockets projected full size onto Washington Monument for America's 250th

The towering image of a full-size Saturn V moon rocket returned to the face of the Washington Monument on New Year's Eve, this time to mark 250 years since the founding of the United States.

The iconic black and white booster, along with other scenes from NASA and U.S. history, were projected onto the obelisk — the tallest landmark in the nation's capital — as a special "birthday candle" for the country. The "Illumination of America," as the show was titled according to the White House, marked only the second time in history that the 555-foot-tall (169-meter) Washington Monument has been been lit as such.

posted 04-20-2026 05:06 PM               

For 250 years, America has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. From the earliest days of exploration, to the first steps on the Moon and the missions shaping our future, NASA represents the spirit of discovery that defines our nation.

As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, Freedom 250 highlights how innovation, courage, and scientific leadership have carried America forward — and how NASA continues to expand the frontier for the next generation.

posted 04-22-2026 10:18 AM               

X-59 Adds Freedom 250 Logo

NASA's X-59 is helping the nation celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence with an update to its livery – its official paint job and insignia. The X-59 has sported a Freedom 250 logo on its engine since its second flight, and it will continue showing off the new detail with every upcoming test flight.

The experimental supersonic jet is designed with technology that reduces the loudness of a sonic boom to a gentle thump. NASA will fly the X-59 over select U.S. communities and take surveys to record what people think of the quieter sonic thumps. The human response data will be delivered to U.S. and international regulators, who will consider setting new rules that allow supersonic flight over land.

Above: The X-59's tail and jet engine feature a new marking — a Freedom 250 logo celebrating the nation's 250th birthday in 2026. (NASA/Carla Thomas)