ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen of Denmark is set to return to the International Space Station for his first long-duration Station mission: Huginn.
This name, chosen by Andreas, originates in Norse mythology with Huginn and Muninn – two raven accomplices of the god Odin. Together, the two symbolise the human mind, with Huginn representing thought, and Muninn, memory.
These birds are not mere spies or messengers for the highest god, they also serve as his confidants and advisors, speaking with human language. At dawn, Odin sends them out to fly across the whole of Midgard, in order to gather worldly knowledge to report back each evening.
Huginn is depicted flying to the right, moving into the future as he glides over an Earth-rise horizon, which could also be seen as the Moon or Mars. Huginn’s wing includes shading in the shape of Andreas’ homeland, Denmark, while the white of the wing’s highlight – referred to by the designer as the ‘swoosh’ – depicts the journey to the Space Station itself from Andreas’ birthplace in Copenhagen.
Two stripes on Huginn’s back depict the distinctive solar arrays of the Station, and also represent that this is Andreas’ second Station mission. Six stars adorning the sky of this patch form a constellation that resembles the Viking symbol for 'safe travels'.