NASA made a typeface using satellite images of the Earth

FastCompany: NASA is looking not to the stars but back to our planet for inspiration. In honor of Earth Day, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center shared an interactive digital tool turns satellite images of the planet’s landscapes into a typeface. “The planet can spell your name—literally,” the Kennedy Space Center’s X post says . Using a feature called “ Your Name in Landsat ,” users can type in whichever word they choose into the generator’s textbox. The site will then generate the phrase using landscapes from Earth, like rivers, lakes, farmland, and more.

When hovering over each “letter,” users can learn more about where the landscape is located and even its coordinates. NASA first unveiled the tool in August of 2024 for Camp Landsat, a virtual summer camp the agency runs. The letters are part of an extensive record of satellite images from Landsat —the longest ongoing series of Earth observing missions—which spans more than 50 years . The Landsat mission was first launched on July 23, 1972 and has since successfully launched eight satellites that have photographed the planet.

The project has not only awarded earthlings with high-resolution imagery for fun visualizations like “Your Name in Landsat”; it has also provided valuable data for scientists and policy makers alike to make decisions regarding the environment and natural resources. The images that feed into the word generator are part of the satellite program’s Alphabet Image Gallery , with images sourced from the NASA Earth Observatory, NASA Worldview, USGS EarthExplorer, and the ESA Sentinel Hub. Some letters get more than one iteration depending on how complex and prevalent the shape is in nature.

Take the “A” which has five different options, with landscapes ranging from Yukon Delta, in Alaska, to Lake Guakhmaz, in Azerbaijan. The “G” in comparison, is somewhat rarer, with only one option currently available in the gallery: an image from Fonte Boa, a municipality in the Amazonas state of Brazil. People love the tool. The social media post received over 22 million views and more than 1,300 people posted their creations in the comments. (Even brands like Xbox got in on the fun.) “I’m here for this,” one user replied .

Another added , “that’s cool as hell, are you kidding me.” Beyond serving as a delightful interactive feature, Your Name in Landsat is also a powerful visualization that reminds us of how vast the world is and why its natural landscapes are worth saving.

NASA's creation of a typeface from satellite images is a unique approach that blends creativity with brand engagement, making it significant for the design industry while also providing actionable insights for brand strategy professionals.