Brian Basset Creates Commemorative Space Shuttle Cartoon
WASHINGTON -- Comic strip artist Brian Basset has created a drawingdepicting his characters, Red and Rover, racing alongside the space
shuttle as it lands for the final time. After 30 years and more than
130 missions, NASA's space shuttle fleet will retire later this year.
A poster commemorating the Space Shuttle Program's 30th anniversary
will feature Basset's cartoon and a patch selected as part of a
contest among NASA employees to honor the program.
"The U.S. space program has been the one constant throughout my entire
life," Basset said. "I was humbled and honored when given the
opportunity to create the art for the commemorative Space Shuttle
Program 30th anniversary poster."
Basset, a supporter of space exploration, created "Red and Rover" in
2000. A comic strip with a retro feel, it is about the unconditional
love between a boy and his dog. The pair often dreams of going to
space together. Nominated by the National Cartoonists Society for
Best Comic Strip of the Year in 2003 and 2010, "Red and Rover"
appears in more than 160 newspapers worldwide and syndicated by
Universal Uclick.
In 2004, Basset became the only cartoonist to have his space-themed
comic strips displayed at NASA's headquarters in Washington. On July
26, 2005, Basset's original drawing commemorating NASA's return to
flight after the Columbia accident launched aboard shuttle Discovery
on the STS-114 mission.
To download an electronic version of the 30th anniversary poster, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/
For information about the space shuttle and upcoming missions, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Source: NASA
