Artist-supplied caption:
The patch is presented in two colors. The dark blue represents the night sky, looking up to space and the exploration of it. The gold stands for honor and the heroes that explore this uncharted territory. The shape of the patch is oval like the Earth. The arc in the foreground represents the sunset behind the Earth signifying the end of the Shuttle program. The track behind the Shuttle is shown by 132 stars; one for each successful mission completed. The two large stars in the sky commemorate the two orbiters lost and the stars surrounding them are the heroes who gave their life in the pursuit of knowledge. The three stars in the foreground on the Earth represent the three remaining orbiter vehicles which are being retired.
