CNES astronaut Patrick Baudry became the second French citizen in space, after Jean-Loup Chrétien, when he flew on NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985. He flew with fellow crew members Daniel Brandenstein, John Creighton, Shannon Lucid, Steven Nagel, John Fabian and Prince Sultan Salman Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, totalling seven days in space.
The STS-51G design shows the advances in aviation technology in the USA in the short span of the 20th century, with the Wright biplane underneath the orbiter. The flags and names of the two non-US crew members appear at the bottom of the circular design.