The crew

These five astronauts are in training for the STS-97 mission, scheduled to be launched late next year aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour for a working visit to the International Space Station (ISS). Astronaut Brent W. Jett (front right) and Michael J. Bloomfield (front left) are commander and pilot, respectively. Flanked by those two is astronaut Marc Garneau, mission specialist representing the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). In the rear are astronauts Carlos I. Noriega (left) and Joseph R. Tanner, both mission specialists. Noriega and Tanner are wearing training versions of the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) spacesuits they'll be wearing for spacewalking chores during the flight.

The Artwork

This is the crew insignia for STS-97, which will deliver, assemble, and activate the U.S. electrical power system on board the International Space Station (ISS). The electrical power system, which is built into a 47-foot integrated truss structure known as P6, consists of solar arrays, radiators, batteries, and electronics. P6 will be attached to the Station using the Shuttle's robotic arm in coordination with spacewalking crewmembers that will make the final connections. The spacewalkers will then prepare P6 for the subsequent deployments of the large solar arrays and radiator, which are critical steps in the activation of the electrical power system. The 120-foot solar arrays will provide the power necessary for the first ISS crews to live and work in the U.S. segment. The crew patch depicts the Space Shuttle docked to ISS in low Earth orbit after the activation of the P6 electrical power system. Gold and silver are used to highlight the portion of ISS that will be installed by the STS-97 crew. The Sun, central to the design, is the source of energy for ISS.