STS-130 Mission Patch Released

[Webhamster]

Hot on the heels of the STS-131 mission patch, the patch for STS-130 surfaced today. With this patch released there will only be 3 more patches released before the shuttle program comes to an end.

STS-130 is scheduled for launch no earlier than February 4, 2010 and will be carrying the Tranquility module and the Cupola module to the International Space Station.

Crew:

Commander: George Zamka (2)

Pilot: Terry Virts (1)

Mission Specialist 1: Robert Behnken (2)

Mission Specialist 2: Kathryn Hire (2) - Flight Engineer

Mission Specialist 3: Nicholas Patrick (2)

Mission Specialist 4: Stephen Robinson (4)

* number in brackets denotes number of spaceflights including this mission

NASA's description of the patch:

The shape of the patch represents the Cupola, which is the windowed robotics viewing station, from which astronauts will have the opportunity not only to monitor a variety of ISS operations, but also to study our home planet.

The image of Earth depicted in the patch is the first photograph of the Earth taken from the moon by Lunar Orbiter I on August 23, 1966. As both a past and a future destination for explorers from the planet Earth, the moon is thus represented symbolically in the STS-130 patch.

The space shuttle Endeavour is pictured approaching the ISS, symbolizing the space shuttle's role as the prime construction vehicle for the ISS.