Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2006/09/15/virgin_galactic_logo/

Virgin Galactic goes Starck raving bonkers

'Earth to Richard Branson, over...'

By Lester Haines

Posted in Science, 15th September 2006 10:26 GMT

LogoWatch We at the Vulture Central LogoWatch Soviet have a shameful admission to make this morning: we've been holding off on reporting on the new Virgin Galactic logo in the hope that, in return for our silence, Sir Richard Branson would call and offer us the free space-flight ticket which William Shatner recently turned down.

Well, the bejumpered multi-trillionaire has not done the decent thing, so here it is: Virgin Galactic has succumbed completely and utterly to a spectacular bout of rebranding madness:

Virgin Galactic's new logo: Something far, but nearA new vision, a new identity

Design guru, Philippe Starck has inspired an exciting new identity for Virgin Galactic to reflect the vision of the project. Using the amazing and beautiful image of an iris, he allows people to reflect on the basic human instinct to push boundaries and explore.

Philippe Starck explains: "The curiosity and adventure of the human spirit exists in the vision of a human eye, from today, through millions of years of evolution, right back to the beginning of mankind. The nebulous iris represents the infinite possibilities of this endeavour and signifies our opportunity to look back at earth from space with our own eyes for the first time. The eye's pupil incorporates an eclipse, the dawning of something new, something unique but accessible. Something far, but near."

For the love of all that's Holy. Richard Branson, presumably having inhaled an overdose of incense smoke, added: "When I look at the logo I am reminded of childlike awe."

It's clear then that the first Virgin Galactic passengers will not, as previously reported, blast off to David Bowie's Space Oddity, but rather the sound of whalesong and the scent of joss-sticks. Quite what Sigourney Weaver - booked onto the inaugural flight - will make of it is anyone's guess, but her reaction is likely to involve stripping down to knickers and vest and blowing Sir Richard and monsieur Starck out of the airlock. Enough said. ®