Exp 44 crew patch 2-20-13

ISS044-S-001 (February 2014) --- This is the insignia for the Expedition 44 mission. The International Space Station is positioned in the foreground poised to study Earth, the sun and cosmos that lie beyond. Two members of the Expedition 44 crew will spend a full year on the ISS - providing valuable experience for future long duration missions into deep space. The 12 Earths represent the planet's position around the sun over the course of that year. Four of the Earths are silhouetted in sunlight representing the four month duration of Expedition 44. The nine stars in the background represent the nine individuals that will visit and work on the ISS during the course of the expedition, including the six-member crew, whose names are inscribed around the patch's border, and the three-person Soyuz "taxi" crew. The use of ellipses and circles throughout the patch reflect a theme of "completion" or "return," as investments made in this orbiting laboratory return benefit to the Earth and its inhabitants. The NASA insignia design for shuttle flights and station increments is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA