Thanks to the modern Artemis Missions, mankind is headed back to the Moon in the next few years, but for their annual Space Game uniforms, the UCF Knights are throwing it back to the pioneers who got us there in the first place.
The Knights have been throwing on special space-themed getups for a decade now, and they’re pretty much always a feast for the eyes with unique designs, nods to the space program, and of course, the Citronaut.
However, I think this year’s batch, which pays homage to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs of the 1960s, is tough to top.
This is the school’s tenth Space Game, which they’ve dubbed “Mission X,” and there is so much cool symbolism in everything.
UCF opened its doors in 1963 — right around the time the Space Race was heating up — as Florida Technological University, and ever since, it has long served as a pipeline to the nearby Kennedy Space Center.
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That’s why this year, the team is celebrating that particular era and, man, are there some cool details.
The UCF Knights’ latest Space Game jerseys honor the 1960s era of space exploration. (Credit: UCF Athletics)
The black stitching that criss-crosses the jersey is a nod to the Mercury program’s space suits, which featured black stitching and prominent zippers.
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If you look at the cuffs, one is “Canaveral blue” — which has become the go-to Space Game color for UCF — and the other is red, just like the cuffs were on the Gemini program’s space suits.
The collar is Canaveral blue, just like the inside of the suits worn throughout the 1960s.
On the shoulders, the patches mimic those worn during the Gemini missions, while this year’s Space Game patch is modeled after the patch from the Gemini X mission.
The Knights Space Game Mission X helmets feature a red stripe like those worn by Apollo mission commanders, while this year’s patch is an homage to the one used for Gemini X. (Credit: UCF Athletics)
The pants feature the school’s old Citronaut mascot (which, as a UCF alum, I wouldn’t hate seeing back full-time; I love it), and a striping pattern like the one that appeared on Apollo program rockets and space suits.
Finally, the helmets have a bold red stripe on them, which is a reference to the similar stripe worn on the helmets of Apollo mission commanders.
Alright, I’ve seen enough: ten out of ten. No notes.
What an absolute home run on all fronts. There are Easter eggs everywhere you look, but the entire uniform still looks killer in its own right.
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These beauties will debut at the Acrisure Bounce House on October 30 when the Knights host the Baylor Bears.