STS-61C Mission Patch - NASA Space Shuttle Columbia Flight #2009777 (License: Personal Use)

This official NASA mission patch represents STS-61C, flown by Space Shuttle Columbia in January 1986. It depicts the orbiter deploying a SATCOM Ku satellite, with the American and French flags honoring the multinational crew-commanded by John O. Creighton, with payload specialist Jean-Loup Chrétien from CNES. The green orbital path and white particle trail symbolize orbital insertion and satellite separation.

Used on NASA mission archives, educational space history pages, and astronaut biography sites; targets users researching historic shuttle flights, Cold War-era space cooperation, or specific crew members like Roger C. Chaffee (namesake) or Jean-Loup Chrétien.