ISS Expedition 69 patch, 2023

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen (DK) is scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station on its seventh crewed operational flight called Crew-7, the 13th overall Crew Dragon orbital flight. This crew will join Expeditions 69/70 on the Space Station.

The Expedition 69 patch was designed by NASA graphic artist Blake Dumesnil, who created it from an idea by US astronaut Loral O'Hara who was inspired by a vintage Art Deco stained glass window in Star City, Russia. Blake said, "I was asked to take a stab at the Expedition 69 patch per a photo of the Profi window that Loral had the idea of using as a style for the design. From there, I designed it all from scratch as inspired by the colours and linework of the mid-century style stained glass window. I think it was a great idea and made for a truly unique design."

According to NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg from Crew-6, the patch was 'largely designed by Loral O'Hara, who was originally scheduled to launch on Soyuz MS-23 and join Expedition 69, but now will likely fly in the fall on Soyuz MS-24 and join Expedition 70. The members of Crew-6 received O'Hara's permission to continue using her design'.

The number '69' forms a circle to symbolise the international partnerships and collaboration that make the ISS programme possible. Earth is the central element inside the '6', as our home planet and the primary beneficiary of research on the Space Station. The star shining from Earth, spanning multiple continents, represents the ground teams around the world who support every aspect of this expedition and ensure the crew's safe return home.

The Space Station itself signifies the contributions of thousands of people over the past several decades, whose vision and sustained efforts have made this miracle of a laboratory an unparalleled success. Looking towards the future, the next big steps in human space exploration are reflected in the Moon and Mars.

The Sun around Mars is symbolic of the human imagination, curiosity, and ingenuity that draws us to explore. The two white stars in the sky are taken directly from the Star City mural. The larger star represents the crew's family and friends whose love and support makes this endeavour possible. The smaller star represents the explorers who came before and helped pave the way to the stars.