NASA Contractor Patches :
North American Aviation / Rockwell
North American Aviation Inc. produced the Apollo Command/Service Modules and the second stage (S-II) of the Saturn V rocket. After merging with Rockwell-Standard in 1967 (shortly after the Apollo 1 fire) the company became known as North American Rockwell. The old NAA logo continued to be used for some time but patches bearing the NAA name probably date from early 1967 at the latest. The company then became Rockwell International in 1973 so the NAR name was only in use from 1967 to 1973.
Below I detail some NAA & NAR patches directly related to the space program plus a few more generic company patches which were nevertheless used by people working on the Apollo program.
North American Aviation Inc. / North American Rockwell logo patches
The patches in the following section are generic company logo or name patches known to have been used on the coveralls of employees working on the space program and in some cases by visiting astronauts, although they were not necessarily exclusive to the company's space projects.
North American Aviation small logo patch
This is a generic NAA logo patch. Not exclusively linked to the space program but it was likely produced at the same time as the project-specific patches detailed above and was worn on the coveralls of those working on NAA's space projects, and occasionally by visiting astronauts, as shown in this photo of the Apollo 7 crew.
North American Aviation oversize logo patch
This is an oversize generic NAA logo patch intended for use on the back of coveralls. The central triangle measures 8" across athe base and 7" high. Although not exclusively linked to the space program it was likely produced at the same time as the project-specific patches detailed above and was worn by those working on NAA's space projects, usually with the North American Rockwell text logo underneath, as shown in these photos.
North American Rockwell small logo patch
This small North American Rockwell logo patch was used on the front of coveralls. These photos show Rockwell technicians (including Gunther Wendt) at the Apollo 8 and 9 launches wearing this kind of patch.
North American Rockwell logo & text back patch
This large North American Rockwell logo and text patch was used on the back of coveralls. Similar patches are shown in these photos but it should be noted that the fill pattern visible in the logo on some of these examples consists of curved lines whereas the example shown above has horizontal lines of fill thread. Thus there must be at least two variants of this patch.
North American Rockwell text back patch
This large North American Rockwell text patch was intended for use on the back of coveralls and was commonly worn underneath the large NAA patch detailed above, as shown in these photos.
North American Aviation Inc. project-specific patches
The patches in the following section are specific to the company's NASA projects. These were likely produced by the company for their employees to wear on coveralls.
North American Aviation Apollo CSM patch
This is an oversize patch for the NAA Apollo Command and Service Module project, combining an 8" circular section with an 8 x 2" rectangle. Like the other patches in this section it was presumably intended for use on the back of coveralls.
North American Aviation S&ID NASA Project Apollo patch
This is an oversize patch for the NAA Space & Information Division for NASA's Project Apollo. Presumably intended for use on the back of coveralls, and likely produced at the same time as the other similar back patches shown here.
North American Aviation S&ID Saturn S-II patch
This is an oversize patch for the NAA Space & Information Division for the S-II, the second stage of the Saturn V rocket. Presumably intended for use on the back of coveralls.
Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operation patch
This patch expands on the classic Apollo 'moonscape' design to commemorate the Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operation. The second stage of the Saturn V launcher was manufactured by North American Aviation and this patch was likely produced by their employees.
Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operation replica patch
This replica of the Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operation patch was apparently produced by Randy Hunt.
Apollo Saturn S-II Launch Operation patch
A variant of the Saturn S-II Launch Operation patch above, this one doesn't mention any Test Team.
Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operations Red Crew patch
A third variant of the Saturn S-II Launch Operation patch, this one is executed on red twill and refers to the "Red Crew" Test Team. Note that it also refers to "Launch Operations" rather than "Launch Operation".
Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operations Red Crew replica patch
This replica Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operations Red Crew patch was apparently produced by Randy Hunt.
North American Rockwell commemorative patches
The commemorative patches in the following section may have been produced by the company for their employees or by individual employees for their colleagues.
North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team KSC patch
This is a rare and much sought-after patch from the company responsible for the Command and Service Modules.
North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team KSC patch replica
This is a high quality replica of the rare Rockwell Apollo Launch Team KSC patch, produced for me by AB Emblem in mid 2012.
My original run of these patches is sold out, but you can now buy a re-issue direct from A-B Emblem.
North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team KSC patch Randy Hunt replica
This is a replica produced by Randy Hunt (4gator), identifiable by the distinctive modern fill pattern on the lunar surface and by the fully-embroidered black background.
North American Rockwell Apollo Landing/Safing Team patch
This is an oversize patch presumably intended for use on the back of coveralls.
North American Rockwell Apollo Landing/Safing Team Randy Hunt replica patch
This is apparently a Randy Hunt (4gator) replica of the Apollo Landing/Safing Team patch, although it may be based on a smaller version or a decal design.
Footnotes
[1] Examples of North American Aviation logo small patch sales:
eBay item no. 270958824427 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $56.66
[2] Examples of North American Aviation logo oversize patch sales:
eBay item no. 280865878758 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $68.95
eBay item no. 141585921493 Mar 8, 2015 sold at $43.01
[3] Examples of North American Rockwell text back patch sales:
eBay item no. 280865886676 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $36
[4] Examples of North American Rockwell logo small patch sales:
eBay item no. 280865899404 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $43.55
[5] Examples of North American Rockwell logo & text back patch sales:
eBay item no. 270958804154 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $59.75
[6] Examples of North American Aviation Apollo CSM patch sales:
eBay item no. 280865877000 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $190.02
[7] Examples of North American Aviation S&ID NASA Apollo Project patch sales:
eBay item no. 280865875189 Apr 23, 2012 sold at $83.52
eBay item no. 251203781741 Dec 30, 2012 sold at $105.50
eBay item no. 114212774923 May 9, 2020 sold at $112.50
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 251 May 31, 2025 sold at $61
[8] Examples of North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team patch sales:
eBay item no. 400014311227 Dec 19, 2008 sold at $210
eBay item no. 140398375046 Apr 18, 2010 sold at $232.50
eBay item no. 140402225591 May 2, 2010 sold at $221.50
eBay item no. 140431756509 Aug 2, 2010 sold at $273
eBay item no. 140496651966 Jan 9, 2011 sold at $255
eBay item no. 290603964604 Sep 3, 2011 sold at $361.78
eBay item no. 170953021346 Dec 12, 2012 sold at $245.09
eBay item no. 391210911349 Aug 2, 2015 sold at $172
eBay item no. 352195838906 Nov 5, 2017 sold at $42 (with wear issues)
eBay item no. 372219236063 Feb 13, 2018 sold at $104.40
eBay item no. 372222173127 Feb 19, 2018 sold at $109.70
eBay item no. 223034262139 Jul 27, 2018 on jacket with multiple patches
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 224 Oct 13, 2018 sold at $195.20
eBay item no. 283472611259 May 6, 2019 sold at $32 (with Apollo 11 UC patch)
eBay item no. 373296921703 Oct 30, 2020 sold at $99.99
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 253 Sep 23, 2023 sold at $195.20
American Space Museum auction lot 304 Feb 8, 2025 sold at $687.50.
[9] Examples of North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team Randy Hunt replica patch sales:
eBay item no. 280732103337 Sep 6, 2011 sold at $152.50 [Replica version]
eBay item no. 180816989927 Feb 13, 2012 sold at $56 [resale of above replica version]
[10] Examples of North American Rockwell Apollo Landing/Safing Team patch sales:
Lunar Legacies auction lot no. 210 Nov 19, 2016 sold at $505.75
[11] Examples of North American Rockwell Apollo Landing/Safing Team Randy Hunt replica patch sales:
eBay item no. 251573518721 Jul 5, 2014 sold at $83
eBay item no. 261536055307 Jul 22, 2014 sold at $80 [buy-it-now]
[12] Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operation patch sales:
eBay item no. 371330617136 May 25, 2015 sold at $1,000 [buy-it-now]
eBay item no. 391210910396 Aug 2, 2015 sold at $155.02
eBay item no. 391435838364 Apr 22, 2016 sold at $250 (with other items)
eBay item no. 253022266923 Jul 30, 2017 sold at $349
eBay item no. 223034262139 Jul 27, 2018 on jacket with multiple patches
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 225 Oct 13, 2018 sold at $122
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 114 Feb 2, 2019 sold at $97.60
Lunar Legacies Space Auction Lot 159 Sep 14, 2019 sold at $73.20
eBay item no. 194120728687 May 21, 2021 sold at $105- [condition issues]
American Space Museum auction lot 305 Feb 8, 2025 sold at $625.
[13] Apollo Saturn S-II Test Team Launch Operations Red Crew patch sales:
eBay item no. 222696468755 Nov 5, 2017 sold at $119.50 (with wear issues)
eBay item no. 223034262139 Jul 27, 2018 on jacket with multiple patches
eBay item no. 353516547139 May 31, 2021 sold at 65 [buy-it-now]
[14] Apollo Saturn S-II Launch Operation patch sales:
eBay item no. 134626360254 Jun 28, 2023 sold at $208.50 with other patches
American Space Museum Auction Lot 255 May 3, 2025 sold at $437.50