Discovery Exhibit Commemorative

Discovery Exhibit Commemorative 

As with the other patches, this design is inspired by the way the orbiter is exhibited in its museum home. 

Behind and above Discovery is an American Flag, (although I depict it much larger). In the museum a TDRS satellite is hung from the ceiling above the orbiter. Clockwise from the lower left I depict an astronaut in the Manned Maneuvering Unit (STS-51A), the MIR space station (the first and last flights of the Shuttle/Mir program STS-63 and STS-91), TDRS, the Hubble Space Telescope (launched aboard Discovery in 1990) and the International Space Station.

On either side of the Flag I illustrate the two Return to Flight Missions, STS-26 and STS-114. The mission designations are ghost stitched just above the wings of Discovery.

At the top of the patch is a Sun. This represents not only the Smithsonian but also the STS-41 mission that launched the Ulysses satellite to the Sun.

Each patch has a gold rope inner border because each Shuttle Orbiter was named after Naval research vessels.

At the bottom is the US Capitol honoring the two U.S. Senators who flew to space aboard Discovery. Jake Garn (R) Utah and John Glenn (D) Ohio. Their names are ghost stitched above the Capitol.

The stars represent each Discovery mission.