Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has unveiled a new logo for his country's space program. The agency is known as the National Aerospace Development Administration, or NADA. In Spanish, nada means "nothing." The emblem for the agency bears a striking resemblance to the one used by NASA.
North Korea has only placed one satellite in orbit so far and astronomers have been unable to detect any signals coming from the craft. That has led many engineers around the world to assume the craft failed after launch. Even this minor victory came after 14 years of research and development. Outside engineers referred to the primitive satellite as a "dishwasher wrapped in tin foil."
Four other attempts to reach orbit never attained the proper altitude. One rocket exploded shortly after launch in April 2012.
Still, the new space program is a source of pride to those living in the secretive state. The documents establishing the space agency call for cooperation with other nations. This would be highly-unusual for the country.
The National Aerospace Development Administration has a mission to "put into practice the idea and principle of the DPRK government to develop the space for peaceful purpose. The emblem of the NADA was recently instituted, which represents its character, mission, position and development prospects," the space agency reported.
The government in Pyongyang insists its space program was instituted for peaceful purposes. Still, leaders in the United States and Japan are concerned the technology could be used for military purposes.
"The DPRK has pushed ahead with space development projects to turn the country into a space power, fully exercising its right to peaceful development of the space on a legal basis," North Korean officials wrote in a press release announcing the new emblem.
The new NADA logo was released to mark the first anniversary of the North Korean space agency.
Social media soon lit up with people making fun of the logo, saying the emblem looked like it came from a cartoon or a video game. The name, combined with the track record of North Korea in reaching space, is leading to many comments online about the emblem.
Sanctions imposed on Pyongyang forbid North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. Leaders of that nation say this is a double-standard that also extends to the weaponization of space.
North Korea has never been known for exhibiting first-rate public relations, but this is a blunder, even for Kim Jong Un.
