Image: ISS Expedition 61 Patch

Description: 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.
Title: ISS Expedition 61 Patch
Credit: http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/001456.html https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/32738377447/ https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition61/index.html (PDF)
Author: NASA/Expedition 61 crew
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No