ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer (DE) was launched on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station, on its third crewed operational flight called Crew-3, on 11 November 2021. He goes into space with NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron.
In this patch design, the capsule flies upward, thrusting beyond the edge of the circle, representing an international effort that pushes to reach new heights of space exploration. The flames below the capsule honor the of thousands of workers who contributed to the US commercial vehicle effort—the fire in their hearts propels the program’s success.
Since Crew-3 is the third operational flight to the International Space Station, the number three figures prominently in both the shape of the exhaust below the capsule and the highlighted stars. A dragon is embedded in the exhaust opposite the three for the capsule’s namesake.
Finally, four red planets represent the four crew members of the mission, as well as humanity’s dream to explore Mars and even more distant planetary bodies.
This patch was designed by freelance US artist/illustrator Gregory Manchess.