Crew & Mission

(right)(STS088-S-002 -November 1998) --- Five NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut assigned to the STS-88 mission, scheduled for an early December launch, take time out from their busy training agenda for a crew portrait. Seated in front are Sergei K. Krikalev, a mission specialist representing the Russian Space Agency (RSA), and astronaut Nancy J. Currie, mission specialist. In the rear, from the left, are astronauts Jerry L. Ross, mission specialist; Robert D. Cabana, mission commander; Frederick W. Sturckow, pilot; and James H. Newman, mission specialist.

The Artwork

(STS088-S-001 -November 1998) --- Designed by the crew members, this patch commemorates the first assembly flight to carry United States-built hardware for constructing the International Space Station (ISS). This flight's primary task is to assemble the cornerstone of the Space Station: the Node with the Functional Cargo Block (fgb). The rising sun symbolizes the dawning of a new era of international cooperation in space and the beginning of a new program: the International Space Station. The Earth scene outlines the countries of the Station Partners: the United States, Russia, those of the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and Canada. Along with the Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMA) and the Functional Cargo Block, the Node is shown in the final mated configuration while berthed to the Space Shuttle during the STS-88/2A mission. The Big Dipper Constellation points the way to the North Star, a guiding light for pioneers and explorers for generations. In the words of the crew, "These stars symbolize the efforts of everyone, including all the countries involved in the design and construction of the International Space Station, guiding us into the future."

First Design