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STS-40 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia

1990-05-01

NASA

NASA
Washington, DC, United States

STS40-S-001 (May 1990) --- The STS-40 patch makes a contemporary statement focusing on human beings living and working in space. Against a background of the universe, seven silver stars, interspersed about the Orbital path of the space shuttle Columbia, represent the seven crew members. The orbiter's flight path forms a double-helix, designed to represent the DNA molecule common to all living creatures. In the words of a crew spokesman, "...(the helix) affirms the ceaseless expansion of human life and American involvement in space while simultaneously emphasizing the medical and biological studies to which this flight is dedicated." Above Columbia, the phrase "Spacelab Life Sciences 1" defines both the shuttle mission and its payload. Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian man, silhouetted against the blue darkness of the heavens, is in the upper center portion of the patch. With one foot on Earth and arms extended to touch shuttle's orbit, the crew feels, he serves as a powerful embodiment of the extension of human inquiry from the boundaries of Earth to the limitless laboratory of space. Sturdily poised amid the stars, he serves to link scentists on Earth to the scientists in space asserting the harmony of efforts which produce meaningful scientific spaceflight missions. A brilliant red and yellow Earth limb (center) links Earth to space as it radiates from a native American symbol for the sun. At the frontier of space, the traditional symbol for the sun vividly links America's past to America's future, the crew states. Beneath the orbiting space shuttle, darkness of night rests peacefully over the United States. Drawn by artist Sean Collins, the STS-40 space shuttle patch was designed by the crew members for the flight.

The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA

Details

  • Title: STS-40 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia
  • Date Created: 1990-05-01
  • Rights: JSC
  • Album: mgwhite

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