The official Mission Patch for STS-135, the last flight of the Atlantis Space Shuttle. It is important to note that Atlantis carried the SSEP 2 Intrepid payload of experiments. The STS-135 patch represents the space shuttle Atlantis embarking on its mission to resupply the International Space Station. Atlantis is centered over elements of the NASA emblem depicting how the space shuttle has been at the heart of NASA for the last 30 years. It also pays tribute to the entire NASA and contractor team that made possible all the incredible accomplishments of the space shuttle. Omega, the last letter in the Greek alphabet, recognizes this mission as the last flight of the Space Shuttle Program.
The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, are proud to present the 4 Mission Patches selected for flight to the International Space Station (ISS) for Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 20 to ISS. The selected flight patches shown below resulted from local art and design competitions meant to capture the spirit of SSEP in each Mission 20 community.
The mission patch competitions foster community-wide awareness and engagement in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program – an initiative that takes students, teachers, and the community at large to the space frontier through immersion in an authentic research experience. The 4 selected Mission 20 microgravity flight experiments from student teams, representing the 4 communities participating in Mission 20, comprise the SSEP Atlantis experiments payload, named after NASA’s Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis.
As a historical note, mission patches have been part of human spaceflight since the days of Project Mercury in the 1960s (see, e.g., this page at the NASA History Program Office). The SSEP Mission Patch competitions therefore allow communities to engage in another authentic aspect of the space program. From an education standpoint, the mission patch component of SSEP forges interdisciplinary connections between STEM fields and art and design, so that SSEP is a true STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) initiative.
Across 3 of 4 Mission 20 to ISS communities conducting Mission Patch art and design competitions, 1,048 grade K-16 students were engaged, and 666 patch designs were submitted. Judges within the communities selected the 4 patches shown below.
You can also read more about the Mission 20 to ISS Patch Competition at the main SSEP website.
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1. Alexander City, Alabama
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In April 2025, CACC distributed an announcement of our SSEP Mission Patch Design competition to over 100 schools within our service area. In addition to soliciting designs, we shared a summary of our contribution for Mission 20. Two schools–Central High School of Coosa County (Rockford, AL) and Horseshoe Bend High School (New Site, AL)–held local patch design competitions, engaging 276 students from 6th to 12th grade resulting in 276 patch submissions. The resulting two finalist patches were voted on by the CACC community during the Fall 2025 semester. The winning design was created by 8th Grade Horseshoe Bend High School student Ava Butler, capturing 130/226 votes (58%). Her illustration colorfully features a rocket launching from Earth into the cosmos with the Sun, Moon, and Saturn in the background. Ava was recently recognized by the Tallapoosa County Board of Education for her success at November Board Meeting. CACC is currently converting her design into an embroidered mission patches and a metal engraving, courtesy of our Machine Shop program.
2. Fort Morgan, Colorado
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The Mission Patch Competition in Fort Morgan, Colorado, was open to all students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. A total of 212 students participated and submitted original mission patch designs. The entries were judged by staff and faculty from Morgan Community College based on creativity, connection to the SSEP mission, and visual impact. This competition gave students a unique opportunity to explore STEM through artistic expression while celebrating the spirit of space exploration. One winning patch was selected to represent our community alongside the flight experiment. The winning design was created by Ivana Garcia Molina, age 9, from Pioneer Elementary. Congratulations to all the students who participated and shared their creativity!
3. Knoxville, Tennessee
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In alignment with our land grant mission, the University of Tennessee – Knoxville hosted two Mission Patch design competitions – one for Tennessee grade-school students, grades 6-12 and one for University of Tennessee – Knoxville undergraduate students. Among grades 6-12, eleven schools/programs were formally engaged across the state, and 118 mission patch designs were submitted (118 students engaged). The University of Tennessee undergraduate competition formally engaged 442 students via direct classroom contact across eight Plant Sciences and Astronomy courses resulting in 60 official submissions. Approximately 3,500 additional students were informally engaged via the University Libraries system and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Ag Day 2025 event. A panel of professional designers, public artists, academic faculty, and marketing specialists reviewed and selected the winning patches. Congratulations to Isabella Srdanov from L&N STEM Academy, grade 11, and Lila Gsanger, an undergraduate student studying Graphic Design, on their winning SSEP Mission 20 patch designs!