NASA has unveiled a bold new look for its iconic T-38 astronaut training aircraft—the agency’s first major livery update in decades.
The space agency introduced the new paint scheme on one of its T-38 jets to commemorate NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the Moon through the Artemis program. The Artemis livery preserves the elements that made NASA’s classic “white rocket” design instantly recognizable while adding new colors and graphics that reflect the agency’s future direction.
“This new Artemis livery has a black-and-white paint scheme with blue and red stripes separating the two paint schemes,” said Sean Brady, who proposed and designed the updated livery while serving as a T-38 pilot with NASA’s Aircraft Operations Directorate (AOD), part of the Flight Operations Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The design also features the Artemis program logo and images of the Moon on both sides of the rear fuselage.
NASA’s T-38 jet N924NA, featuring a distinctive Artemis-themed livery, flies over Houston.
Credit: NASA/Brendan “Finney” Finnegan
NASA has operated the Northrop T-38 Talon, a two-seat supersonic trainer aircraft, since 1962, when the U.S. Air Force loaned the agency its first jet. Today, NASA’s Johnson Space Center uses the aircraft to help astronauts prepare for high-stress, dynamic environments and to maintain pilot flight proficiency. Fourteen active T-38 jets are currently based at nearby Ellington Airport.
Most of NASA’s T-38 aircraft still feature the classic blue-stripe livery that has appeared on the agency’s aircraft for more than 50 years. The Artemis jet is the notable exception.
NASA’s Artemis T-38 is “a shiny new toy”
The Artemis-themed aircraft, identified by NASA with the tail number N924NA—or “924” for short—now stands out from the rest of the fleet. However, its selection was largely practical: the jet was already scheduled for repainting as part of the Aircraft Operations Directorate’s routine maintenance program.
Source: arstechnica.com