Columbia Exhibit Commemorative 

The design highlights the lifespan of OV-102 Columbia, starting with the launch of STS-1 in 1981 to the tragic loss during reentry in 2003.

It’s deliberate that the Earth illustrated is from my Final Flight memorial patch. Columbia is depicted flying towards the rising Sun above three trajectories that evoke the Astronaut Pin.

On February 1, 2003 President George W. Bush addressed the nation in remarks that ended with these words:

 “The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.”

Astronaut Robert Crippen eulogized Columbia with these words that also helped inspire this design.

“I'm sure that Columbia, which had traveled millions of miles and made that fiery re-entry 27 times before struggled mightily in those last moments to bring her crew home safely once again. She wasn't successful.

Because she was a little heavy, she didn't get some of the more glamorous missions, but she was our leader in doing science on orbit. Just as she was doing with this crew in SPACEHAB on Mission STS-107, micro-gravity scientific exploration was her bag. She carried SPACEHAB numerous times studying material processing and life sciences, all of which were focused at giving us a better life here on Earth.

Columbia also helped us better understand the heavens and learn about the origins of the universe where several missions, including Astro, also by deploying the most advanced X-ray observatory ever built, the Chandra Space Telescope, and by our very recent Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission. Just as her crew has, Columbia has left us quite a legacy.”

Each patch has a gold rope inner border because each Shuttle Orbiter was named after Naval research vessels. The stars represent each Columbia mission.

The title of this patch is from the 1982 IMAX Film “Hail Columbia.”

5"  fully embroidered

Made in China