How NASA Are Nike’s New NASA-Themed Sneakers?

1. The logo

“PG” for Paul George, the Oklahoma City Thunder small forward behind these sneakers, which are the third pair from Nike and George, and the first collaboration between Nike and NASA. George’s Space City ties? None to speak of. In fact, the shoes make almost no reference to Houston, aka Space City, aka the home of human spaceflight.

2. The soles

Moon crater-inspired. No further explanation needed.

3. The orange

The so-bright-it-burns-your-retinas color is the same shade, International Orange, as on the Advanced Crew Escape Suits that NASA debuted back in 1994. Admittedly, it doesn’t get more NASA than that.

4. The NASA meatball (left heel)

What’s a NASA-sanctioned pair of shoes without the federal space agency’s official logo?

5. The quote

“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” Very NASA-esque, yes—but it should be noted that the lyric was penned by Canadian country singer Paul Brandt.

6. The Apollo 13 badge (right heel)

Sure, the Apollo 13 bit is a nod to the lunar-mission-turned-rescue-mission that spawned Houston’s most famous catchphrase, but it’s even more about George—PG-13 to his fans, because of his number 13 jersey.

7. The numbers

Why is 93552 stamped on the midsoles? Because it’s a zip code in Palmdale, California, George’s hometown, the site of an arm of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, and the aerospace capital of the United States. Fine. That’s really quite NASA.

Published in the Perfect Spring Day Trips issue of Houstonia Mag.