STS-26 Mission Patch

STS-26 Mission Patch

This mission patch was designed for STS-26, the return to flight for the Space Shuttle after the Challenger Disaster in 1986.

STS-26 was a hugely important mission for NASA after the tragic loss of seven astronauts in the Challenger mission of 1986. There were many people concerned about safety going forward, and the success of the mission was critical for the future of the Shuttle. The patch design reflects this, with the Shuttle launching safely into the sky above a stylised plume. Seven stars symbolise the astronauts lost on the Challenger two years before, whilst a sunrise represents the new beginnings that STS-26 was bringing. Mission Commander Frederick Hauck had tasked his uncle Stephen Hustvedt - an artist - to design the patch.

STS-26 was the first mission since Apollo 11 to carry a crew who had all flown at least once before in space. Along with Hauck, crewmembers Richard Covey, John Lounge, David Hilmers, and George Nelson were all veterans, a decision made due to the nature of the importance of this mission. Despite these precautions, insulation from the launch vehicle struck the wing of Space Shuttle Discovery during launch. This was the same issue that caused the loss of the Columbia Space Shuttle in 2003. It was a near miss for STS-26 that could have ended the Space Shuttle programme.

This particular patch was part of a collection of patches acquired by British-born professor of endocrine and metabolic surgery Anthony Goode, during his years working with NASA’s Life Sciences Division.