Artist-supplied caption:
This patch commemorates the accomplishments of the National Space Transportation System. The shuttle stack, from the program patch, represents all those involved with every aspect of the shuttle program. It is shown launching into space filled with the many satellites it has launched and serviced in its 30 year career. Columbia (STS-5) was the first orbiter to launch a commercial communications satellites and Challenger (STS-6) launched the first Tracking & Data Relay Satellite. These represent all of the satellites - public, private, and military - that have improved life and security on Earth. The shuttle has also launched many probes and observatories, including the Galileo probe (Atlantis, STS-34) and Hubble Space Telescope (Discovery, STS-31), that have deepened humanity's knowledge and understanding of the universe. Endeavour (STS-88) launched the first of many missions to assemble and utilized the International Space Station, expanding humanity's presence in space and serving as a bridge to future exploration and colonization. This is all surrounded by a field of stars representing the 134 missions on the Space Shuttle manifest, the gold stars paying tribute to Challenger and the crew of STS-51-L and Columbia and the crew of STS-107.
