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Pilot designs shuttle logo
Valley Press ^ | Tuesday, March 11, 2008.

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 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Local News; Science
KEYWORDS: aerospacevalley; antelopevalley; nasa; patch; spaceshuttle; sts123; testpilot; usaf

1 posted on 03/11/2008 11:54:51 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

2 posted on 03/11/2008 11:58:11 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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3 posted on 03/11/2008 11:58:42 AM PDT by Rio (Don't make me come over there....)
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To: Rio

Looks like the ISS is giving us the finger.


4 posted on 03/11/2008 11:59:28 AM PDT by krb (If you're not outraged, people probably like having you around.)
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To: Yo-Yo; Rio

Excellent — thanks!


5 posted on 03/11/2008 12:01:44 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: krb

Gee I wish you hadn’t said that....now that’s what it looks like to me too.


6 posted on 03/11/2008 12:02:20 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Amateurish, but as long as they’re happy...


7 posted on 03/11/2008 12:08:38 PM PDT by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: BenLurkin

Sorry ‘bout that :-)


8 posted on 03/11/2008 12:10:54 PM PDT by krb (If you're not outraged, people probably like having you around.)
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To: BenLurkin; krb
... or a starting pistol.


9 posted on 03/11/2008 12:20:04 PM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: krb

You kidding? I saw that thing sticking up right next to the words Gorie Johnson and had to do a double take.


10 posted on 03/11/2008 1:45:43 PM PDT by CougarGA7 (Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.)
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To: Yo-Yo

When’s the last time they didn’t have any chicks on a flight?


11 posted on 03/11/2008 1:48:30 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
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To: Moonman62

Don’t ask.


12 posted on 03/11/2008 1:52:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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