SMILE, Student Moon Initiative for Lunar Exploration, is making history as the first student-led mission to attempt a spacecraft landing on the Moon. Led by a small team of graduate students and young professionals, the mission blends ambition, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to take on one of space exploration’s biggest challenges, understanding and mitigating deep space radiation while proving a new, non-traditional path to lunar exploration.

The logo captures the mission’s pioneering spirit, pairing bold, contemporary design with subtle nods to the visual language of spaceflight. I created a custom wordmark that mirrors the precision and forward momentum of the team’s work, while drawing inspiration from retro futurism and the space race era, when humanity first set its sights on the Moon. The result is an identity that feels innovative yet timeless, honoring both the daring leap this mission represents and the dreamers who make it possible.