Endeavour (rymdfärja)

Endeavour
OV-105
Endeavour (rymdfärja)
Endeavourstartplatta 39A före uppdraget STS-127, 31 maj 2009.
OV-beteckningOV-105
LandUSA
Kontraktstilldelning31 juli 1987
Namngiven efterHMS Endeavour (1764)
StatusPensionerad. Utställd på California Science Center i Los Angeles, Kalifornien
Första flygningSTS-49
7 – 16 maj 1992
Sista flygningSTS-134
16 maj – 1 juni 2011
Antal uppdrag25
Besättnings­medlemmar154
Tid i rymden296 dagar, 3 timmar, 34 minuter, 2 sekunder
Antal genomförda omloppsvarv4 671
Tillryggalagd sträcka197 761 262 km
Satelliter utplacerade3
Mir-dockningar1
ISS-dockningar12

Endeavour (OV-105) är den femte och den senaste av Nasa:s rymdfärjor. Endeavour beställdes 1987 som ersättning för Challenger, som exploderat under en uppskjutning året före.

Challenger havererat valde NASA mellan två alternativ; antingen skulle man bygga om testfärjan Enterprise till en fullt fungerande rymdfärja, eller så skulle man bygga en ny färja till stor del bestående av delar som redan producerats för att vara reservdelar för redan existerande rymdfärjor. Valet föll på det senare alternativet på grund av att det blev billigare. 1992 lyfte Endeavour för första gången.

Endeavour är namngiven efter James Cooks skepp HMS Endeavour.

Endeavours sista uppdrag blev STS-134 som var planerat att lyfta den 29 april 2011. Rymdresan blev emellertid uppskjuten. Först kom ett nytt planerat datum den 10 maj,[1] men starten skedde inte förrän den 16 maj 2011. Den 1 juni 2011 landade Endeavour för sista gången och därmed gick hon i pension efter 19 år i tjänst. Hon gjorde under dessa år 25 st flygningar och tillbringade 299 dagar i rymden.

Rymdfärdsuppdragen

Endeavour sedd från ISS under STS-127.
Siluett av Endeavour med jorden i bakgrunden.
FärdUppdragStartdatumLandningFärdens tid
(timmar, minuter, sekunder)
1STS-497 maj 199216 maj 1992213:17:38
2STS-4712 september 199220 september 1992190:30:23
3STS-5413 januari 199319 januari 1993143:38:19
4STS-5721 juni 19931 juli 1993239:44:54
5STS-612 december 199312 december 1993259:58:37
6STS-599 april 199420 april 1994269:49:30
7STS-6830 september 199411 oktober 1994269:46:08
8STS-672 mars 199518 mars 1995399:08:48
9STS-697 september 199518 september 1995260:28:56
10STS-7211 januari 199620 januari 1996214:00:45
11STS-7719 maj 199629 maj 1996240:39:18
12STS-8922 januari 199831 januari 1998211:46:54
13STS-884 december 199815 december 1998283:17:55
14STS-9911 februari 200022 februari 2000269:38:00
15STS-9730 november 200011 december 2000259:00:58
16STS-10019 april 20011 maj 2001285:30:00
17STS-1085 december 200117 december 2001283:36:00
18STS-1115 juni 200219 juni 2002332:35:11
19STS-11323 november 20027 december 2002330:47:13
20STS-1187 augusti 200721 augusti 2007305:56:38
21STS-12311 mars 200827 mars 2008378:12:27
22STS-12615 november 200830 november 2008380:30:34
23STS-12716 juli 200931 juli 2009376:44:58
24STS-1308 februari 201022 februari 2010330:08:03
25STS-13416 maj 20111 juni 2011337:38:51
Nasarymdfärjan Endeavour
Uppdragsemblem för Endeavours flygningar
STS-49
STS-47
STS-54
STS-57
STS-61
STS-59
STS-68
STS-67
STS-69
STS-72
STS-77
STS-89
STS-88
STS-99
STS-97
STS-100
STS-108
STS-111
STS-113
STS-118
STS-123
STS-126
STS-127
STS-130
STS-134

Referenser

  1. ^ Teams expected to access Endeavour by midday Arkiverad 25 april 2013 hämtat från the Wayback Machine., NASA den 30 april 2011.

Externa länkar


Den här artikeln är helt eller delvis baserad på material från engelskspråkiga Wikipedia, tidigare version.

Media som används på denna webbplats

Vostok spacecraft replica.jpg
Författare/Upphovsman: Pascal (Flickr user: pasukaru76), Licens: CC0
Vostok spacecraft replica at the Technik Museum Speyer, Germany.
STS-113 Patch.svg
* This is the crew patch for the STS-113 mission, which will be the eleventh American (11A) assembly flight to the International Space Station (ISS). The primary mission will be to take the Expedition Six crew to the ISS and return the Expedition Five crew to Earth. STS-113 will be the first flight in the assembly sequence to install a major component in addition to performing a crew exchange. The Port 1 Integrated Truss Assembly (P1) will be the first truss segment on the left side of the ISS. P1 will provide an additional three External Thermal Control System radiators, adding to the three radiators on the Starboard 1 (S1) Integrated Truss Assembly. The installation and outfitting of P1 will require three extravehicular activities (space walks) as well as coordination between the Shuttle Robotic Manipulator System and the Space Station Robotic Manipulator System. The patch depicts the Space Shuttle Endeavour docked to the ISS during the installation of the P1 truss with the gold astronaut symbol in the background.
  • The seven stars at the top left center of the patch are the seven brightest stars in the constellation Orion. They represent the combined seven crew members (four Shuttle and three Expedition Six). The three stars to the right of the astronaut symbol represent the returning Expedition Five crew members. The Shuttle crew names are on the solar arrays of the P6 truss. The ISS Expedition crew names are in a chevron that also features the American and Russian flags. The Expedition 6 crew names are on top of the Expedition 5 crew names, since Expedition 6 goes up while Expedition 5 goes down. The Roman Numeral CXIII represents the mission number 113.
Sts-49-patch.png
STS-49 Patch
  • STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, crew insignia (logo), the official insignia of the NASA STS-49 mission, captures space flight's spirit of exploration which has its origins in the early seagoing vessels that explored the uncharted reaches of Earth and its oceans. The ship depicted on the patch is HMS Endeavour, the sailing vessel which Captain James Cook commanded on his first scientific expedition to the South Pacific. Just as Captain Cook engaged in unprecedented feats of exploration during his voyage, on Endeavour's maiden flight, its crew will expand the horizons of space operations with an unprecedented rendezvous and series of three space walks. During three consecutive days of extravehicular activity (EVA), the crew will conduct one space walk to retrieve, repair and deploy the INTELSAT IV-F3 communications satellite, and two additional EVAs to evaluate the potential Space Station Freedom (SSF) assembly concepts. The flags flying on Endeavour's masts wear the colors of the two schools that won the nationwide contest when Endeavour was chosen as the name of NASA's newest Space Shuttle: Senatobia (Mississippi) Middle School and Tallulah Falls (Georgia) School The names of the STS-49 flight crewmembers are located around the edge of the patch. They are Commander Daniel C. Brandenstein, Pilot Kevin P. Chilton, Mission Specialist (MS) Pierre J. Thuot, MS Kathryn C. Thornton, MS Richard J. Hieb, MS Thomas D. Akers, and MS Bruce E. Melnick. Each crewmember contributed to the design of the insignia.
Sts-88-patch.svg
Designed by the crew members, this patch commemorates the first assembly flight to carry United States-built hardware for constructing the International Space Station (ISS). This flight's primary task is to assemble the cornerstone of the Space Station: the Node with the Functional Cargo Block (fgb).

The rising sun symbolizes the dawning of a new era of international cooperation in space and the beginning of a new program: the International Space Station. The Earth scene outlines the countries of the Station Partners: the United States, Russia, those of the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and Canada. Along with the Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMA) and the Functional Cargo Block, the Node is shown in the final mated configuration while berthed to the Space Shuttle during the STS-88/2A mission.

The Big Dipper Constellation points the way to the North Star, a guiding light for pioneers and explorers for generations. In the words of the crew, "These stars symbolize the efforts of everyone, including all the countries involved in the design and construction of the International Space Station, guiding us into the future."
Sts-89-patch.svg
* In the STS-89 crew insignia, the link between the United States and Russia is symbolically represented by the Space Shuttle Endeavour and Russia's Mir Space Station orbiting above the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska. The success of the joint United States-Russian missions is depicted by the Space Shuttle and Mir colored by the rising sun in the background.
  • A shadowed representation of the International Space Station (ISS) rising with the sun represents the future program for which the Shuttle-Mir missions are prototypes. The inside rim of the insignia describes the outline of the number eight representing STS-89 as the eighth Shuttle/Mir docking mission.
  • The nine stars represent the nine joint missions to be flown of the program and when combined with the number eight in the rim, reflect the mission number. The nine stars also symbolize the children of the crew members who will be the future beneficiaries of the joint development work of the space programs of the two countries.
  • Along the rim are the crew members' names with David A. Wolf's name on the left and Andrew S. W. Thomas' name on the right, the returning and upgoing cosmonaut guest researcher crew members. In between and at the bottom is the name of Salizan S. Sharipov, payload specialist representing Russian Space Agency (RSA), in Cyrillic alphabet.
  • The other crew members are Terrence W. Wilcutt, commander; Joe F. Edwards, Jr., pilot; and mission specialists Michael P. Anderson, Bonnie J. Dunbar, and James F. Reilly. The red, white and blue of the rim reflect the colors of the American and Russian flags which are also represented in the rim on either side of the joined spacecraft.
STS-118 patch new.svg
The STS-118 patch represents Space Shuttle Endeavour on its mission to help complete the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS), and symbolizes the pursuit of knowledge through space exploration. The flight will accomplish its ISS 13A.1 assembly tasks through a series of spacewalks, robotic operations, logistics transfers, and the exchange of one of the three long-duration expedition crew members. On the patch, the top of the gold astronaut symbol overlays the starboard S-5 truss segment, highlighting its installation during the mission. The flame of knowledge represents the importance of education, and honors teachers and students everywhere. The seven white stars and the red maple leaf signify the American and Canadian crew members, respectively, flying aboard Endeavour.
STS-108 Patch.svg
This is the mission patch of STS-108. Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen approaching the International Space Station. Two astronaut symbols represent the crew commanders of both ISS expeditions. The ascending one represents cosmonaut Yury Onufriyenko of Russia. (The ascending astronaut symbol shows a flag of Russia.) The descending astronaut symbol represents Frank Culbertson of the USA. This represents crew rotation, as three stars are depicted on the symbols. The space shuttle crew members are depicted along the border while the ISS crews are depicted along the chevron on the border of the patch.
  • This is the insignia for the STS-108 mission, which marks a major milestone in the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) as the first designated Utilization Flight, UF-1. The crew of Endeavour will bring the Expedition Four crew to ISS and return the Expedition Three crew to Earth. Endeavour will also launch with a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) that will be berthed to ISS and unloaded. The MPLM will be returned to Endeavour for the trip home and used again on a later flight. The crew patch depicts Endeavour and the ISS in the configuration at the time of arrival and docking. The Station is shown viewed along the direction of flight as will be seen by the Shuttle crew during their final approach and docking along the X-axis. The three ribbons and stars on the left side of the patch signify the returning Expedition Three crew. The red, white and blue order of the ribbons represents the American commander for that mission. The three ribbons and stars on the right depict the arriving Expedition Four crew. The white, blue, red order of the Expedition Four ribbon matches the color of the Russian flag and signifies that the commander of Expedition Four is a Russian cosmonaut. Each white star in the center of the patch represents the four Endeavour crew members. The names of the four astronauts who will crew Endeavour are shown along the top border of the patch. The three astronauts and three cosmonauts of the two expedition crews are shown on the chevron at the bottom of the patch.
Sts-99-patch.png
STS099-(S)-001 (JUNE 1999) STS-99 INSIGNIA -- The crew members designed the flight insignia for the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), the most ambitious Earth mapping mission to date. Two radar antennas, one located in the Shuttle bay and the other located on the end of a 60-meter deployable mast, will be used during the mission to map Earth's features. The goal is to provide a 3-dimensional topographic map of the world's surface up to the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The clear portion of Earth illustrates the radar beams penetrating its cloudy atmosphere and the unique understanding of the home planet that is provided by space travel. The grid on Earth reflects the mapping character of the SRTM mission. The patch depicts the Space Shuttle Endeavour orbiting Earth in a star spangled universe. The rainbow along Earth's horizon resembles an orbital sunrise. The crew deems the bright colors of the rainbow as symbolic of the bright future ahead because of human beings' venturing into space.
Sts-54-patch.png

STS-54 Mission Insignia

Designed by the crewmembers, the STS-54 crew patch depicts the American bald eagle soaring above Earth and is emblematic of the Space Shuttle Endeavour in service to the United States and the world. The eagle is clutching an eightpointed star in its talons and is placing this larger star among a constellation of four others, representing the placement of the fifth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) into orbit to join the four already in service. The blackness of space -- with stars conspicuously absent -- represents the crew's other primary mission in carrying the Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer to orbit to conduct astronomical observations of invisible x-ray sources within the Milky Way Galaxy. The depiction of Earth showing North America is an expression of the crewmembers and NASA's intention that the medical and scientific experiments conducted onboard be for the benefit of mankind. The clouds and blue of Earth represent the crew's part in NASA's Mission to Planet Earth in conducting Earthobservation photography.
STS-126 patch.svg
The STS-126 patch represents Space Shuttle Endeavour on its mission to help complete the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). The inner patch outline depicts the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo. This reusable logistics module will carry the equipment necessary to sustain a crew of six on board the ISS and will include additional crew quarters, exercise equipment, galley, and life support equipment. In addition, a single expedition crew member will launch on STS-126 to remain on board ISS, replacing an expedition crew member who will return home with the shuttle crew. Near the center of the patch, the constellation Orion reflects the goals of the human spaceflight program, returning us to the Moon and on to Mars, the red planet, which are also shown. At the top of the patch is the gold symbol of the astronaut office. The sunburst, just clearing the horizon of the magnificent Earth, powers all these efforts through the solar arrays of the ISS current configuration orbiting high above.
Sts-57-patch.png
STS-57 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, crew insignia (logo), the Official insignia of the NASA STS-57 mission, depicts the Space Shuttle Endeavour maneuvering to retrieve the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) microgravity experiment satellite. Spacehab -- the first commercial space laboratory -- is depicted in the cargo bay (payload bay (PLB)), and its characteristic shape is represented by the inner red border of the patch. The three gold plumes surrounded the five stars trailing EURECA are suggestive of the United States (U.S.) astronaut logo. The five gold stars together with the shape of the orbiter's mechanical arm form the mission's numerical designation. The six stars on the American flag represent the U.S. astronauts who comprise the crew. With detailed input from the crewmembers, the final artwork was accomplished by artist Tim Hall. The names of the STS-57 flight crewmembers are located along the border of the patch. They are Commander Ronald J. Grabe, Pilot Brian J.
Endeavour from ISS before docking.jpg
This view of the Space Shuttle Endeavour was one of a series provided by an Expedition 20 crewmember prior to and during a survey of the approaching vehicle before docking with the International Space Station. As part of the survey and part of every mission's activities, the STS-127 Endeavour crew performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver (RPM). Payload including JEF visible in the shuttle bay.
STS-59 patch.svg
STS-59 crew insignia
  • The STS-59 insignia is dominated by Earth, reflecting the focus of the first Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1) mission upon our planet's surface and atmosphere. The golden symbol of the astronaut corps emblem sweeps over Earth's surface from the Space Shuttle Endeavour, representing the operation of the SIR-C/Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) and the Measurement of Air Pollution from Space (MAPS) sensors. The astronaut emblem also signals the importance of the human element in space exploration and in the study of our planet. The star field visible below Earth represents the many talents and skill of the international SRL-1 team.
Space Shuttle Endeavour Tribute.jpg
This is a printable version of space shuttle Endeavour's orbiter tribute, or OV-105, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It features Endeavour soaring into orbit above the sailing vessel HMS Endeavour for which it was named. The Cupola, delivered to the International Space Station by Endeavour on STS-130, frames various images that represent the processing and execution of the Space Shuttle Program. Clockwise from top, are the first-ever use of a drag chute during the STS-49 landing, rollout to a launch pad, a ferry flight return to Kennedy, rolling into an orbiter processing facility, docking to the International Space Station, and lifting operations before being mated to an external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The background image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope and signifies the first shuttle servicing mission, which was performed by Endeavour's STS-61 crew. Another element of the background is a photograph of the STS-130 launch taken by James Vernacotola entitled "Waterway to Orbit", which won honorable mention in a 2011 National Geographic photography contest. Crew-designed patches from Endeavour's maiden voyage through its final mission are shown ascending toward the stars. Five orbiter tributes are on display in the firing room, representing Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Endeavour and Discovery.
STS-100 patch.svg
Logo of Nasa's STS-100 mission.
  • The STS-100/6A emblem reflects the complex interaction of robotics and extravehicular activity (EVA) on this mission. During the mission spacewalks will be conducted to deploy the International Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS). The EVA helmet frames the patch, with the Canadian-built SSRMS shown below the visor. Reflected in the visor is the Space Shuttle Endeavour, with the International Space Station rising above the horizon at orbital sunrise. Endeavour's payload bay houses a Spacelab pallet, itself holding the SSRMS and the Space Station Ultra High Frequency Antenna, and the Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module "Raffaello." American, Russian, Canadian, and Italian astronauts compose the crew, and their flags are stylized in the lower portion of the emblem. Ten stars adorn the sky, representing the children of the STS-100 crew and the future of space exploration.
STS-69 patch.svg
Emblem of Nasa's STS-69 mission.
  • Designed by the mission crew members, the patch for STS-69 symbolizes the multifaceted nature of the flight's mission. The primary payload, the Wake Shield Facility (WSF), is represented in the center by the astronaut emblem against a flat disk. The astronaut emblem also signifies the importance of human beings in space exploration, reflected by the planned space walk to practice for International Space Station (ISS) activities and to evaluate space suit design modifications. The two stylized Space Shuttles highlight the ascent and entry phases of the mission. Along with the two spiral plumes, the stylized Space Shuttles symbolize a NASA first, the deployment and recovery on the same mission of two spacecraft (both the Wake Shield Facility and the Spartan). The constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor represent the astronomy objectives of the Spartan and International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH) payload. The two constellations also symbolize the talents and dedication of the support personnel who make Space Shuttle missions possible.
STS-127 Patch.svg
Space Shuttle mission STS-127 is the 32nd construction flight of the International Space Station (ISS) and the final of a series of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese "Kibo" laboratory complex. In addition to delivering, installing, and servicing an external scientific platform that will be attached to the end of the Japanese module, STS-127 will bring up a new ISS crew member and return another one to Earth, replace vital components of the ISS electrical production system, and transfer various pieces of hardware to ISS. Five spacewalks and the operation of four different robotic arms will be required to accomplish these tasks over 10 days. A crew spokesperson had the following words for the patch. "Bathed in sunlight, the blue Earth is represented without boundaries to remind us that we all share this world. In the center, the golden flight path of the space shuttle turns into the three distinctive rays of the astronaut symbol culminating in the star-like emblem characteristic of the Japanese Space Agency, yet soaring further into space as it paves the way for future voyages and discoveries for all humankind."
Endeavour silhouette STS-130.jpg
Though astronauts and cosmonauts often encounter striking scenes of Earth's limb, this unique image, part of a series over Earth's colorful horizon, has the added feature of a silhouette of the space shuttle Endeavour. The image was photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member prior to STS-130 rendezvous and docking operations with the International Space Station. Docking occurred at 11:06 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 9, 2010. The orbital outpost was at 46.9 south latitude and 80.5 west longitude, over the South Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern Chile, with an altitude of 183 nautical miles (210 statute miles) when the image was recorded. The orange layer is the troposphere, where all of the weather and clouds which we typically watch and experience are generated and contained. This orange layer gives way to the whitish stratosphere and then into the mesosphere. In some frames the black color is part of a window frame rather than the blackness of space.
Sts-67-patch.svg

STS-67 Mission Insignia

Observation and remote exploration of the universe in the ultraviolet wavelengths of light were the focus of the STS-67/ASTRO-2 mission, as depicted in the crew patch designed by the crew members. The insignia shows the ASTRO-2 telescopes in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's payload bay, orbiting high above Earth's atmosphere. The three sets of rays, diverging from the telescope on the patch atop the Instrument Pointing System (IPS), correspond to the three ASTRO-2 telescopes - the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE). The telescopes are coaligned to simultaneously view the same astronomical object, as shown by the convergence of rays on the NASA symbol. This symbol also represents the excellence of the union of the NASA teams and universality's in the exploration of the universe through astronomy. The celestial targets of ASTRO-2 include the observation of planets, stars, and galaxies shown in the design. The two small atoms represent the search in the ultraviolet spectrum for the signature of primordial helium in intergalactic space left over from the Big Bang. The observations performed on ASTRO-2 will contribute to man's knowledge and understanding of the vast universe, from the planets in out system to the farthest reaches of space.
Sts-68-patch.png

STS-68 Mission Insignia

This STS-68 patch was designed by artist Sean Collins. Exploration of Earth from space is the focus of the design of the insignia, the second flight of the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-2). SRL-2 was part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) project. The world's land masses and oceans dominate the center field, with the Space Shuttle Endeavour circling the globe. The SRL-2 letters span the width and breadth of planet Earth, symbolizing worldwide coverage of the two prime experiments of STS-68: The Shuttle Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) instruments; and the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS) sensor. The red, blue, and black colors of the insignia represent the three operating wavelengths of SIR-C/X-SAR, and the gold band surrounding the globe symbolizes the atmospheric envelope examined by MAPS. The flags of international partners Germany and Italy are shown opposite Endeavour. The relationship of the Orbiter to Earth highlights the usefulness of human space flights in understanding Earth's environment, and the monitoring of its changing surface and atmosphere. In the words of the crew members, the soaring Orbiter also typifies the excellence of the NASA team in exploring our own world, using the tools which the Space Program developed to explore the other planets in the solar system.
STS-61 patch.svg
Emblem of Nasa's STS-61 mission.
STS-127 Launch Pad 39A.jpg
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Atlantic Ocean is backdrop for space shuttle Endeavour as it reaches the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A. First motion of the 3.4-mile rollaround from Launch Pad 39B was at 3:16 a.m. EDT, and the shuttle was secured to Launch Pad 39A at 11:42 a.m. EDT. Endeavour was on standby on Pad 39B to be used in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The payload on Endeavour's next mission, STS-127, includes the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section of the International Space Station. They will be installed on the Kibo laboratory already on the station. Launch of STS-127 is targeted for June 13.
STS-130 patch.svg
The official patch for STS-130. The shape of the patch represents the Cupola, which is the windowed robotics viewing station, from which astronauts will have the opportunity not only to monitor a variety of ISS operations, but also to study our home planet. The image of Earth depicted in the patch is the first photograph of the Earth taken from the moon by Lunar Orbiter I on August 23, 1966. As both a past and a future destination for explorers from the planet Earth, the moon is thus represented symbolically in the STS-130 patch. The Space Shuttle Endeavour is pictured approaching the ISS, symbolizing the Space Shuttle's role as the prime construction vehicle for the ISS.
STS-77 patch.svg
Emblem of Nasa's STS-77 mission.
Sts-97-patch.svg
This is the crew insignia for STS-97, which will deliver, assemble, and activate the U.S. electrical power system on board the International Space Station (ISS). The electrical power system, which is built into a 47-foot integrated truss structure known as P6, consists of solar arrays, radiators, batteries, and electronics. P6 will be attached to the Station using the Shuttle's robotic arm in coordination with spacewalking crewmembers that will make the final connections. The spacewalkers will then prepare P6 for the subsequent deployments of the large solar arrays and radiator, which are critical steps in the activation of the electrical power system. The 120-foot solar arrays will provide the power necessary for the first ISS crews to live and work in the U.S. segment.
The crew patch depicts the Space Shuttle docked to ISS in low Earth orbit after the activation of the P6 electrical power system. Gold and silver are used to highlight the portion of ISS that will be installed by the STS-97 crew. The Sun, central to the design, is the source of energy for ISS.
Sts-47-patch.png
The mission emblem of STS-47 depicts the Space Shuttle Orbiter with the Spacelab module in the cargo bay against a backdrop of the flags of the United States and Japan, symbolizing the side-by-side cooperation of the two nations in this mission. The land masses of Japan and Alaska are represented on the emblem emphasizing the multi-national aspect of the flight as well as the high inclination orbit of 57 degrees. The initials `SLJ' on the left border of the emblem stand for Spacelab Japan, but the name generally used for the mission is `Spacelab-J.' The Japanese characters on the right border form the word `Fuwatto' which is the Japanese word for weightlessness.
STS-123 Patch.svg
STS-123 continues assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). The primary mission objectives include rotating an expedition crew member and installing both the first component of the Japanese Experimental Module (the Experimental Logistics Module - Pressurized Section (ELM-PS)) and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM). In addition, STS-123 will deliver various spare ISS components and leave behind the sensor boom used for inspecting the shuttle's thermal protection system. A follow-on mission to ISS will utilize and then return home with this sensor boom. A total of five spacewalks are planned to accomplish these tasks. The mission will also require the use of both the shuttle and ISS robotic arms. STS-123 will utilize the Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System to extend the docked portion of the mission to eleven days, with a total planned duration of 15 days. The crew patch depicts the space shuttle in orbit with the crew names trailing behind. STS-123's major additions to ISS (the ELM-PS installation with the shuttle robotic arm and the fully constructed SPDM) are both illustrated. The ISS is shown in the configuration that the STS-123 crew will encounter when they arrive.
Sts-72-patch.png

STS-72 Mission Insignia

The crew patch of STS-72 depicts the Space Shuttle Endeavour and some of the payloads on the flight. The Japanese satellite, Space Flyer Unit (SFU) is shown in a free-flying configuration with the solar array panels deployed. The inner gold border of the patch represents the SFU's distinct octagonal shape. Endeavour's rendezvous with and retrieval of SFU at an altitude of approximately 250 nautical miles. The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology's (OAST) flyer satellite is shown just after release from the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The OAST satellite was deployed at an altitude of 165 nautical miles. The payload bay contains equipment for the secondary payloads - the Shuttle Laser Altimeter (SLA) and the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument (SSBUV). There were two space walks planned to test hardware for assembly of the International Space Station. The stars represent the hometowns of the crew members in the United States and Japan.
STS-134 Patch.svg
The design of the STS-134 crew patch highlights research on the International Space Station (ISS) focusing on the fundamental physics of the universe. On this mission, the crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour will install the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment - a cosmic particle detector that utilizes the first ever superconducting magnet to be flown in space. By studying sub-atomic particles in the background cosmic radiation, and searching for anti-matter and dark-matter, it will help scientists better understand the evolution and properties of our universe. The shape of the patch is inspired by the international atomic symbol, and represents the atom with orbiting electrons around the nucleus. The burst near the center refers to the big-bang theory and the origin of the universe. The Space Shuttle Endeavour and ISS fly together into the sunrise over the limb of Earth, representing the dawn of a new age, understanding the nature of the universe.
STS-111 Patch.svg
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 mission is named UF-2 for ISS Utilization Flight number two. The ISS orbit completes the Astronaut Office symbol and is colored red, white, and blue to represent the flags of the United States, Russia, France, and Costa Rica. 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.