T O P I C R E V I E W |
Robert Pearlman | Thanks to Maciej Stolowski, who captured the above image from today's NASA TV broadcast of the ISS Expedition 11 crew briefings. |
sts205cdr | I like it. The banner trails seem a little odd, but I like the scheme and the colors. The border is even reminiscent of another "11" mission patch. |
Robert Pearlman | Here is the artwork, received from a reader. |
LoneStar Scouter | Well, I guess I'll be investing another $4.99 for this one... not a bad patch. |
icarkie | I like it as well. Ditto, another 4.99... |
Tom | Great looking patch. Anyone know what the 15 stars signify? |
Robert Pearlman | The official description: The emblem of the eleventh expedition to the International Space Station (ISS) emphasizes the roles of the United States and the Russian Federation in the multinational ISS partnership. The two rocket plumes, in the style of the flags of these two nations, represent the Russian Soyuz vehicles and the American Space Shuttles. The ISS image shows the configuration of the orbiting Station at the start of the expedition, with docked Soyuz and Progress vehicles and the huge American solar panels. The names of the two crew members are shown on the margin of the patch. ISS Commander Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips, NASA ISS science officer and flight engineer, are expected to launch on a Soyuz vehicle and to be in orbit during the return to flight of the Space Shuttle. The crew explains, "The beauty of our home planet and the vivid contrasts of the space environment are shown by the blue and green Earth with the Space Station orbiting overhead, and by the bright stars, dark sky, and dazzling sun." |
Jacques van Oene | This crew wanted to keep the design as simple as possible so they decided that the stars would just be for aesthetic purposes and 15 are there because it looks right. No particular meaning intended. The complete story of the design of the Expedition 11 patch is now on our site... |
KSCartist | Thank you to all those who said they liked the patch. I had the great pleasure and distinct honor of working with John Phillips to design it. If all goes well with RTF look for a new three person version with either Sergei Volkov or Thomas Reiter added. If thet happens the Sun will disappear, replaced by Phillips name and the third crewmember will go where Phillips was. It'll be the first mission to have two patches. |
Tom | Great job, Tim. Enjoyed very much reading the story of your various patch designs. One mission - 2 patches... another first! |
Hart Sastrowardoyo | quote: Originally posted by KSCartist: It'll be the first mission to have two patches.
I'm confused, because there were a few Shuttle missions where they had approved designs and had to change them because of additions to the crew. If we ignore the ones where they added just an apron to the bottom, there's at least Mission 51E to 51D, STS-42, STS-88, STS-101, STS-113, STS-114, Expedition 6, Expedition 7 and (if Polansky's assignment holds) STS-116 and STS-117. |
OV-105 | I think this will be the first one that is in-flight that would have a patch change. |
KSCartist | Hart, you are correct in the changes to those shuttle missions and crews. But what I meant was that this would be the first mission to have an addition during flight and therefore have two "official patches". |
Robert Pearlman | Congratulations Tim on the launch of your design! |
KSCartist | A 30 + year old dream comes true Thursday evening EDT when Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips carry my artwork into space and history. Godspeed Expedition 11! |
OV-105 | Congratulations! That must be the next best thing than getting to go yourself. Then when the 3rd crewmember is added it will you will have two patches in space at once. They are going to give you a flown patch right? |
DavidH | From Florida Today: Tim Gagnon's art is about to blast off to the International Space Station.After decades spent trying to get his work incorporated into one of the patches worn by NASA astronauts -- designs made unique for each space mission -- Titusville's Gagnon will actually have two of his designs leaving the Earth on Thursday night aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. |
snf13 | The odd trail representing the Russian crew member is in the shape of a six for Krikalev who is now the first Russian to fly in space six times. |
KSCartist | Actually the trail that is represented by the Russian flag is a stylized version of the lower case letter "alpha" from the greek alphabet. This was done because Sergei was on the mission that named the ISS Alpha. But I'll let John know of your thoughts-Sergei might enjoy that. |
KSCartist | quote: Originally posted by OV-105: They are going to give you a flown patch right?
Actually John is flying the Young Astronaut Club patch for the school I work at. We hope to have him return it to the school next year during our annual Space Xpo. |
michaelSN99 | ...is it for sure that an eventually third crewmember after return to flight goes well will be part of Expedition 11? I did read in the Expedition's press kit that the Flight Engineer 2 will stay much longer as the originally two crewmembers Krikalev and Phillips? So isn't it more likely that it could be a mission with total separate designation and an own patch? |
Ben | Yes, Thomas Reiter will launch on STS-121 in July and become the third member of Expedition 11. And it appears he will remain on board longer than Krikalev and Phillips. Sounds like the '2 and 1' crew situations from Mir! |
michaelSN99 | That confirms what I've heard earlier... but in the news media here they called it a possibility yet... but now it seems to became reality. |
KSCartist | From what I've heard to confirm earlier posts - the plan is for Thomas Reiter to join Expedition 11 in July (if all goes well with RTF). There is a strong possibility he would stay on to serve with Expedition 12 for a month or more. So the new "norm" would be for the ESA astronaut to overlap expeditions. (This ought to drive AB Emblem crazy.) |