The Artwork

The STS-87 patch is shaped like a space helmet symbolizing the extravehicular activity (EVA) on the mission in support of testing of tools for the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). The Earth is shown reflected on the backside of the helmet. The Space Shuttle Columbia forms the interface between the Earth and the heavens, the back and the front sides of the helmet in profile. The three red lines emerging from Columbia represent the astronaut symbol as well as the robot arm that will be used to deploy and retrieve the Spartan satellite. The letters "µg" represent the payloads studying microgravity science in space on this United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-04) mission. Gold flames outlining the helmet visor represent the corona of the Sun, which will be studied by Spartan. The flag of Ukraine is next to payload specialist Leonid Kadenyuk's name. He is the first person from that country to fly on the space shuttle.