October 6, 2020 — A popular manufacturer of ice chests has figured out a way to make NASA "cooler."
Igloo Products has launched two new models of its Playmate cooler emblazoned with NASA logos, space shuttle imagery and astronaut mission patches.
"From landing on the moon to landing in your pantry, the coolers in our NASA-inspired Playmate Collection make the perfect partner for any mission!" Igloo wrote on its website. "Each of these Playmates features custom NASA artwork on the cooler's tent top."
"So, head out of the world (or just to lunch) with these special-edition coolers," the Texas-based company said.
First introduced in 1971 as the "original personal cooler," Igloo's Playmate coolors feature a swivel lid and solid plastic construction. The iconic ice chest came in red and white, but today they are offered in a variety of colors and "COOLab" designs, including models decorated with MTV and Disney graphics.
The two new NASA Playmate Pal 7-quart (6.6-liter) coolers are sized to carry nine beverage cans or "average-sized" lunches.
The NASA Worm Logo Playmate has a red chest and blue lid, the latter adorned with the space agency's retro logotype, affectionately known as the "worm," and graphics "honoring when NASA made history in 1981 by achieving the first space shuttle mission with the Columbia spacecraft."
The NASA Patches Playmate Pal features a blue chest and gray lid covered in mission patch artwork and the space agency's official "meatball" logo. Among the insignia reproduced on the cooler are the crew emblems for STS-7, the 1983 maiden flight of the space shuttle Challenger that included the first launch of a U.S. woman, Sally Ride; STS-27, the 1988 flight of the orbiter Atlantis; and STS-116, the 2006 flight of Discovery with a truss segment for the International Space Station. The design also includes the American flag.
Both NASA Playmate models retail for $39.99 each and are available now through the Igloo website.