Posted on 03/11/2008 11:54:51 AM PDT by BenLurkin
EDWARDS AFB - Space shuttle Endeavour astronauts are going into space wearing a mission patch designed by NASA Dryden Flight Research Center research pilot Mark Pestana. Mission STS-123 will take to the international space station the Japanese Kibo module, which will hold electronic equipment and serve as a storage area for experiment materials. It also carries the Canadian Dextre robot, which will attach to the station's robotic arm and allow astronauts to replace hardware outside the station without doing a spacewalk.
Pestana's logo depicts a shuttle with its mechanical arm extending the Kibo module to the station. Behind the shuttle is an image of the Canadian robot, marked with a red maple leaf emblem.
This is Pestana's ninth design to fly into space on shuttle crews' suits.
"Most crews have some idea what they want and ask for help in assembling their ideas," Pestana said. "Some crews have no particular ideas and I get to start from scratch. Some also want specific colors or symbolism, some of which have hidden meanings. An example is a field of stars numbering the total number of children among the crewmembers."
"I usually draft three or four designs," Pestana continued. "After further deliberation it narrows down to the final. In the end it's both fun and an honor to be asked to help, and then to see my art launched into orbit."
A retired Air Force colonel, Pestana started drawing as a boy but never has had formal art training. His mother was an artist and his father was in the Air Force.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
Looks like the ISS is giving us the finger.
Excellent — thanks!
Gee I wish you hadn’t said that....now that’s what it looks like to me too.
Amateurish, but as long as they’re happy...
Sorry ‘bout that :-)
You kidding? I saw that thing sticking up right next to the words Gorie Johnson and had to do a double take.
When’s the last time they didn’t have any chicks on a flight?
Don’t ask.
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