This patch to span the first 50 year history of space exploration , borrowing the themes from the original National Aeronautics and Space Administration Seal as well as one of the newest program logos, "Ares". The colors are the red, white and blue of the US Flag as well as gold for the 50th Anniversary and the natural beauty of space. Since the number and scope of "manned" and unmanned scientific exploration projects are too numerous to include in any one design, the Earth, the Moon and the planet Mars are the major focus of our exploration efforts as well as the goals of future efforts. The stylized launch is representative of how we begin each mission of exploration. The constellation Orion represents the navigational tool for the first explorations away from our home planet and will figure prominently in the future. It is also the first constellation many of us learn as a child. The launch star and plume pays homage to the US Astronaut Corps. On the right, there are 12 stars representing the first Americans to walk on the Moon. On the left are 13 additional stars, in total representing the 25 Astronauts who died in the line of duty. This design was created by Tim Gagnon of Titusville, FL. A graphic and portrait artist with a life long passion for space exploration, his work is on display at the Kennedy Space Center, City Hall in Elmira, NY and the International Space Station. The artist's initials are a hallmark in the smoke at the base of the launch plume.