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Full disclosure: I am horny for NASA.
To me, the NASA program represents a set of lofty ideals we as a human race should never stop aspiring to. A history of brave and brilliant men and women, scientists and mathematicians and engineers and pilots, who understood at a fundamental level the necessity of pushing the limits of human exploration — who looked to the stars and saw unrestrained possibilities for adventure, knowledge and inspiration for all mankind.
So yeah, horny for NASA. Big time.
Thus I was delighted to run across Alpha Industries newest NASA collab collection, featuring several pieces I will be using to broadcast my astronomical nerddom. Alpha certainly isn’t the only fashion entity to collaborate with the space program, but they’ve been doing it the longest and their governmental bonafides are irrefutable: originally established as a clothing contractor to the United States military in 1959, the brand has created a slew of iconic rugged outerwear styles ranging from the Air Force N3-B parka (their first commission) to the MA-1 bomber jacket to the M-65 field coat.
Thus you may rest assured that your own personal stargazing sessions will be cozy ones.
MA-1 Hooded NASA II Bomber Jacket
Fun fact: the reflective wordmark logo featured on the chest of this water-resistant nylon bomber is colloquially referred to around NASA HQ as “the worm,” officially retired in 1992 but still often found on licensed apparel because, well, it’s some undeniably badass typography.
Apollo II Hoodie
“The Apollo program was designed to land humans on the Moon and bring them safely back to Earth. Six of the missions (Apollos 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17) achieved this goal. The six missions that landed on the Moon returned a wealth of scientific data and almost 400 kilograms of lunar samples. Experiments included soil mechanics, meteoroids, seismic, heat flow, lunar ranging, magnetic fields, and solar wind experiments.”
Real talk, why would you not want this on a hoodie?
NASA Line Crew Sweatshirt
For the hood-averse, Alpha Industries also offers this slick stripey crewneck sporting the worm logo and a nice bit of wrist embroidery to boot.
Apollo Tee
You remember Apollo 11 — it was the one where, you know, a human being walked on the moon for the very first time in history. One small step for a man, one giant leap for a graphic tee.
Space Shuttle Hoodie
Another fun fact: the logo on the chest of this hoodie is known as “the meatball,” designed by NASA employee James Modarelli in 1959 (the second year of the program) with visual references to the different elements of the agency’s mission — the circle represents a planet, the stars space, the red v-shaped wing aeronautics, and the white circular orbit space travel.
Space Shuttle Long Sleeve Tee
More meatball vibes and this time in long-sleeve tee form, and you know how we feel about a long-sleeve graphic tee.
MA-1 Apollo Battlewash Bomber Jacket
The MA-1 bomber is arguably Alpha Industries’ most iconic silhouette, built to keep pilots and ground crew warm in the chilliest of temps. This one features the brand’s signature faded “battlewash” treatment for a more vintage feel, plus the meatball and Apollo 11 commemorative patches on the front and the official Apollo mission patch on the back.
In other Alpha Industries news, it also bears noting that they’ve got a really awesome initiative going on entitled Operation Re:Supply in which they’re offering authentic, limited-edition military vintage, deadstock and upcycled pieces. Get ’em before they’re gone.
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