Canadian Space Agency Launches Maple Leaf Into The Cosmos With New Logo

Moon, meet Canada—represented by a single leaf. As the Great White North heads up north with NASA on humankind’s return to the lunar surface via the Artemis III mission, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has unveiled a new logo to plant its presence in the cosmos.

Come 2024, the first Canadian astronaut will head to the Moon—a national landmark worth getting a makeover for. “Canada is entering a new era of space exploration,” the space agency explains. “With the return to the Moon, an increasing need for Earth observation data and a growing Canadian space industry, the timing is ideal to give Canada’s space program a modern, simplified symbol that is distinctly Canadian and embodies the values of the future-focused space sector.”

We are pretty excited about this profile picture update! New look, same space-loving agency. ✨ pic.twitter.com/ZELTLSyL14

— Canadian Space Agency (@csa_asc) March 16, 2023

Bravely skyrocketing to the great unknown, as depicted in the modernized branding, is a giant maple leaf, the national symbol of Canada. The emblem denotes “taking flight,” while carrying with it the country’s pride and sense of belonging.

On top of that, the maple leaf represents Canada’s “daring invention and our sights set on the future, ready to push the boundaries of ingenuity and innovation,” describes the CSA.

Underneath are three stars, which not only clearly symbolize space but are also tokens of “brilliance, intelligence, and expertise.” The CSA tripled the presence of stars to highlight strength in the broader Canadian space and STEM community—bright sparks, if you will.

The mark is encircled by the English and French names for the CSA.

The space agency’s previous logo from 1996 also showcased a maple leaf, but the emblem was less prominent and trailed behind a visualization of the sun on the horizon. The new mark propels Canadian pride even further.

While the CSA is still in the process of rolling out the insignia across all its channels, it has already released merchandise bearing the logo via its shopping partner Ingenium. Aspiring space travelers can also pick up these items at the shops in the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Canadian Space Agency (@canadianspaceagency)

[via Space.com and Canadian Space Agency, images via various sources]