Expedition 61

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The mission insignia for the Expedition 61 crew with Commander Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA astronauts Drew Morgan, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Skripochka.

• The Expedition 61 patch represents an exciting and dynamic time aboard the International Space Station as it constantly advances towards a limitless future in space. The overall patch view is from an approaching vehicle in pursuit of the space station. The sun is the most prominent, central element in the patch as the source of energy and life for the Earth, the station and our entire solar system. As the present focus of human spaceflight, the space station is centered in the emblem while barely eclipsing the sun with its tiny shadow, reminding of us that human exploration is a small part of our quest to understand the universe.
• Fifteen of the sun’s rays represent the 15 original partner members of the space station program, while the 16th ray represents an open invitation for continued collaboration with new partners. The four yellow rays form the cardinal directions of a compass, symbolizing the innate human drive to explore. The advancing terminator represents the dawn of a new day on Earth. The name ring appears to float through space and has no single orientation, emphasizing the variety of viewpoints assembled in an international crew unified under one mission. Nine rays extend beyond the name ring to represent the nine human missions that have braved exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, thus encouraging us to drive boundlessly out into our solar system.

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The official insignia of the Expedition 62 crew

• The Expedition 62 patch embodies two main themes: first, the importance of the global partnership on which the International Space Station was founded, and second, the paradigm shifting perspective provided by seeing our planet Earth from above with human eyes. Based on a vintage mosaic found near the headquarters of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, the two space explorers flying in formation represent friendship between space agencies and the people that work in them. The shining star in the hand is a symbol of unity under a common quest for discovery, as this partnership continues to burn bright into the future.
• Generated by the flying astronauts, the shock wave signifies the powerful impact of human space exploration and the scientific research conducted on the space station, strengthened when we work as a team, side by side with all of our international partners. The backdrop of the large sun behind our planet Earth reminds us that we are but a very small component of our solar system and our universe. The sun is also responsible for fueling life on Earth, sustaining the biosphere (symbolized by the leaf) surrounded by the precious, fragile atmosphere (represented by the clouds).
• This imagery reminds us of our duty to protect our home planet, to preserve our environment and to carry principles of responsible environmental stewardship with us as we explore the universe. This birch leaf combines the principal elements, embodying nature, science and the global alliance, as these trees are indigenous to regions that crewmembers from all sides call home.

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International Space Station insignia.

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The official Expedition 61 crew portrait with (from left) NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, astronaut Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency), Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, and NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch.

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The Expedition 60 crew insignia

• The Moon landing is one of the most extraordinary feats of humankind, an embodiment of ingenuity and desire for exploration. The patch of Expedition 60 commemorates the 50th anniversary of that landing: a constellation of three stars with the Moon superimposed forms the letter “L,” the Latin symbol for 50. The Moon is depicted as a waxing crescent, as it was on July 20, 1969.
• The familiar silhouette of the International Space Station is visible, flying across the night sky. Stars, numerous and bright as seen from the space station, form the shape of an eagle in the same pose as on the iconic patch of the Apollo 11 mission. The sunrise represents the fact that we are still in the early stages of humanity’s exploration of space.
• The hexagonal shape of the patch represents the space station's cupola, with the six points of the hexagon symbolizing the six crewmembers of Expedition 60. The names and nationalities are not present, as on the original Apollo 11 mission patch, to highlight that space missions – then, now, and in the future – are for Earth and all humankind.