The iconic T-38 jets flown by astronauts just got a spiffy new look

For the first time in decades, NASA has rolled out one of its iconic astronaut training aircraft with a bold, new look.

The space agency debuted a new livery on one of its T-38 jets in celebration of its program to return astronauts to the Moon. The Artemis design retains nods to what made the “white rocket” immediately recognizable, but adds a new colorway and painted graphics to make clear where NASA is headed.

“This new ‘Artemis’ livery has a black and white paint scheme with blue and red stripes that separate those two paint schemes,” said Sean Brady, who proposed and designed the new livery while serving as the T-38 project pilot in NASA’s Aircraft Operations Division (AOD), part of the Flight Operations Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The Artemis program logo in the back and a picture of the Moon is on the left and right side of the rear fuselage.”

The Northrop T-38 “Talon” two-seat supersonic trainer has been in use by NASA since 1962, when the first jets were loaned to the agency by the US Air Force. Flown today to familiarize new astronauts with working in a high-stress, dynamic environment and maintain pilots’ flight proficiencies, Johnson Space Center currently has a fleet of 14 active T-38 jets stationed out of nearby Ellington Airport.

All but one is adorned with the classic blue stripe livery that has been associated with most of NASA’s aircraft over the past five decades.

“Shiny new toy”

The Artemis jet, referred to by NASA by its tail number N924NA (or 924 for short), stands out now due to its new look but was only selected because it was next in line to be repainted as part of AOD’s regular maintenance of its aircraft.