About the MagISStra mission logo

This figure, representing the astronaut himself, projects from the International Space Station to the planet in a sense of sharing, of bringing back applications to Earth, symbolised by three icons between the arms: a plant as scientific research, mechanical gears as technological development and a book as knowledge.

The International Space Station emerges from its acronym in the mission name and a sunrise seen over the crescent Earth conveys optimism about the extension of the Station's operational life to 2020.

The coded text on the left, ‘ISS/E3-3D/NESPOLI’ is how the mission is identified within the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, the top-level forum for coordination and resolution of crew matters. E3 stands for the third long-duration European mission to the ISS, and 3D refers to the ESA-developed 3D camera that Nespoli used to show unprecedented views of the orbital complex.

The six stars represent the six crew, the six months that Nespoli stayed in space and also the European character (the stars are similar to those on the EU flag). The white background symbolises the ingenuity of humans and the willingness to learn more and search for discoveries with an open mind.