In August 2013, there were mumblings around Ellington Field about the possibility of NASA's SOFIA 747SP coming to Ellington to swap engines with Shuttle Carrier Aircraft 905. Had that been true, I assumed it would have likely included a NASA Social media event for Houston space and aviation fans. That inspired me to create a preliminary design for the potential event, but when it became clear SOFIA wasn't coming anytime soon, the incomplete concept fell by the wayside.
In July 2014, while watching a documentary about SOFIA and her operations in California, I had a jolt of creativity and decided to dust off the unfinished emblem and take it all the way to completion. The concept shows the Boeing 747SP cruising through the night sky with the mission of observing the cosmos emanating from her cabin, where the American and German crews are hard at work. While there are no known plans to host a NASA Social for SOFIA, the date reflects a special anniversary for Houston - the day the last shuttle left town aboard another 747 two years earlier.
- Nathan Moeller
