[Loughla]

I get where you're coming from with the AD on the spacecraft. It's gross to see an ad for a clothing company on the moon.

But, NASA is predominately displayed on all of the original moonshot crafts. That's an advertisement for that organization. . .

And, I'm 100% sure ego had nearly everything to do with the original space race. Beating the Russians and what-not. That seems, in hindsight, to be very ego driven?

[alan-hn]

I think saying "this organization built this craft that went to space" is a bit different than "buy shit from this other company"

[nlarew]

The Columbia logo on this craft is both. They're advertising the brand in a very cool and unique way AND they contributed significant heat shield technology to the craft itself.

[treyd]

It's about self-identification not advertisement. And NASA isn't a privately-owned for-profit corporation. It's like putting "US NAVY" on a battleship, except instead it's a vehicle furthering mankind's technological development.

[wolverine876]

NASA is an organization that represents the collective efforts of Americans (and others!). Columbia clothing is a private business that maximizes profit.