STS-119



The Crew

(STS119-S-002 - May 16, 2008) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, these seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-119 crew portrait. From the right (front row) are NASA astronauts Lee Archambault, commander, and Tony Antonelli, pilot. From the left (back row) are NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists.


STS-119 art

(STS119-S-001 - September 2008 ) --- The shape of the STS-119/15A patch comes from the shape of a solar array viewed at an angle. The International Space Station (ISS), which is the destination of the mission, is placed accordingly in the center of the patch just below the gold astronaut symbol. The gold solar array of the ISS highlights the main cargo and task of STS-119/15A -- the installation of the S6 truss segment and deployment of S6's solar arrays, the last to be delivered to the ISS. Under the Japanese Kibo module, marked by a red circle, is the name of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who goes up to the ISS to serve as flight engineer representing JAXA.. The rest of the STS-119/15A crew members are denoted on the outer band of the patch. The 17 white stars on the patch represent, in the crew's words, "the enormous sacrifice the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia have given to our space program." The U.S. flag flowing into the Space Shuttle signifies the support the people of the United States have given our space program over the years, along with pride the U.S. astronauts have in representing the United States on this mission.

The patch was designed by Steve Swanson's 19-year old daughter.


The pantone PMS colours and thread colours used for the patch.


Collecting STS-119
The embroidered STS-119 patch, produced by AB Emblem, is available from the Spaceflight Now store. The patch is unusually large at 10.5 x 11.5 cm.



A souvenir version (top) of an earlier design, with Wakata's name and the 119 / 15A numbers at a different position. It was changed to give Wakata's name a more prominent spot.


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