STS-109 is the fourth mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The mission patch depicts the Hubble Space Telescope and the Space Shuttle Columbia over the North American continent.

During the eleven-day mission, the crew of Columbia will rendezvous with the telescope and grapple and berth it to the Space Shuttle using the remote manipulator system. Then, a series of space walks will be performed to significantly upgrade HST’s scientific capabilities and power system.

Inside of HST’s aperture is a portrayal of the spectacular Hubble Deep Field Image, representing the billions of stars and galaxies in the Universe. This Deep Field Image symbolizes all the major discoveries made possible by the Hubble Space Telescope over the last ten years, and all those to come following the installation of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) by the crew of STS-109.

The ACS is the major scientific upgrade for this servicing mission and will dramatically increase HST’s ability to see deeper into our universe. To further extend HST’s discovery potential, a new cooling system will be added that will restore HST’s infrared capability. The telescope is also shown with the smaller, sturdier, and more efficient solar arrays that will be installed during the space walks on STS-109.

When combined with a new Power Control Unit, these solar arrays will provide more power for use by the telescope and allow multiple scientific instruments to operate concurrently.

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The STS-110 mission begins the third and final phase of construction for the International Space Station (ISS) by delivering and installing the SØ truss segment that will be carried into orbit in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

The Station’s robotic arm will remove the SØ segment from the Shuttle’s payload bay and place it on top of the United States Laboratory. During several space walks, SØ will be mechanically attached to ISS, and then multiple cables will be connected allowing electrical power and communications to flow between SØ and ISS.

The STS-110 crew patch is patterned after the cross section of the SØ truss, and encases the launch of the Shuttle Atlantis and a silhouette of the ISS as it will look following mission completion. The successfully installed SØ segment is highlighted in gold. The SØ truss will serve as the cornerstone for the remaining ISS truss segments which together will span a distance greater than the length of a football field.

This truss holds the Station’s massive solar arrays, providing electrical power for the modules of all the International Partners, and enables ISS to reach its full potential as a world-class research facility.

 

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The STS-111 patch symbolizes the hardware, people, and partner nations that contribute to the flight. The Space Shuttle rises on the plume of the Astronaut Office symbol, carrying the Canadian Mobile Base System (MBS) for installation while docked to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Earth background shows Italy, which contributes the Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) used on this flight to re-supply ISS. The ten stars in the sky represent the ten astronauts and cosmonauts on orbit during the flight, and the star at the top of the patch represents the Johnson Space Center, in the state of Texas, from which the flight is managed.

The names of the STS-111 crew border the upper part of the patch, and the Expedition Five (going up) and Expedition Four (coming down) crews’ names form the bottom of the patch.

 

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STS-79 is the fourth in a series of NASA docking missions to the Russian Mir Space Station, leading up to the construction and operation of the International Space Station (ISS). As the first flight of the Spacehab Double Module.

STS-79 encompasses research, test and evaluation of ISS, as well as logistics resupply for the Mir Space Station. STS-79 is also the first NASA-Mir American crew member exchange mission, with John E. Blaha (NASA-Mir-3) replacing Shannon W. Lucid (NASA-Mir-2) aboard the Mir Space Station. The lettering of their names either up or down denotes transport up to the Mir Space Station or return to Earth on STS-79.

The patch is in the shape of the Space Shuttles airlock hatch, symbolizing the gateway to international cooperation in space. The patch illustrates the historic cooperation between the United States and Russia in space.

With the flags of Russia and the United States as a backdrop, the handshake of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) - suited crew members symbolizes mission teamwork, not only of the crew members but also the teamwork between both countries space personnel in science, engineering, medicine and logistics.

 

Nick

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The crew patch for NASA's STS-83 mission depicts the Space Shuttle Columbia launching into space for the first Microgravity Sciences Laboratory 1 (MSL-1) mission. MSL-1 will investigate materials science, fluid dynamics, biotechnology, and combustion science in the microgravity environment of space, experiments that will be conducted in the Spacelab Module in the Space Shuttle Columbia's cargo bay during the planned 16-day mission.

The center circle symbolizes a free liquid under microgravity conditions representing various fluid and materials science experiments. Symbolic of the combustion experiments is the surrounding starburst of a blue flame burning in space.

The 3-lobed shape of the outermost starburst ring traces the dot pattern of a transmission Laue photograph typical of biotechnology experiments. The numerical designation for the mission is shown at bottom center.

As a forerunner to missions involving International Space Station (ISS), STS-83 represents the hope that scientific results and knowledge gained during the flight will be applied to solving problems on Earth for the benefit and advancement of humankind.

 

Nick

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