Axiom Ax-3, Muninn mission patch, 2024

ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt's first mission to space, Muninn, takes its name from Norse mythology, one of the two raven accomplices of the god Odin – Muninn and Huginn. Together, the two symbolise the human mind. Huginn is the name of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s mission to the Space Station in summer 2023.

According to the myth, the ravens serve as messengers and advisors to their god, sharing all they see and hear. Muninn comes from the Old Norse word munr, that can be translated as passion and emotion, linking to Marcus’s enthusiasm for spaceflight.

On the mission patch, created by ESA graphic designer Karen Lochtenberg, Muninn is depicted gliding around Earth to share the knowledge collected from Marcus’s mission. The dark blue circle represents Earth and includes lighter lines depict Marcus’s homeland, Sweden. The patch displays the two colours of the Swedish flag – blue and yellow.

The two white stripes next to Muninn’s upper wing refer to the distinctive solar arrays of a space station, Marcus’s future home in space. Ten stars adorning the sky form a constellation that resembles the Viking symbol for protection. The stars also remind Marcus of the beauty of snowflakes in cold winter days in Sweden. The lines originating from Muninn’s lower wing represent a jet aircraft's supersonic shock waves, hinting at Marcus's background as a test pilot for the Swedish Air Force and Saab.