Joshua Kutryk's personal patch for the Starliner-1 mission

Personal mission patch for the space flight of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk to the International Space Station.

Canada's emblem, the maple leaf, is flanked by the Rockies. The light and dark greens evoke the Canadian Prairies – his childhood home – and the environment.

An outline of the Silver Dart alludes to Colonel Kutryk's career as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force. The stars represent his immediate family, and the Moon symbolizes crewed missions to deep space. (Credit: Canadian Space Agency)

This personal mission patch was created for the space flight of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk to the International Space Station. It features elements that are significant in his life and his professional journey.

Canada's emblem, the maple leaf, rises over the horizon. This points to his pride in being Canadian, as well as the importance of space for our future shared prosperity as a country. It rests on a light blue background representing the vast sky, which has always captured his imagination. The light and dark greens evoke the Canadian Prairies – his childhood home – and convey his great interest in environmental protection and healthy food production, both on Earth and in space. In the distance, the Rockies jut into the sky, a nod to his love of the great outdoors and to the natural beauty of Canada.

In the lower portion is an outline of the first plane to be flown in Canada, the Silver Dart. The two triangles meeting behind it signify the intersection of engineering and operational excellence, alluding to Colonel Kutryk's career as a test pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In the upper portion is the International Space Station, the orbiting laboratory where Kutryk will live and work for about six months. While there, he will conduct research that is essential not only for astronauts, but also for people on Earth – helping improve our quality of life and our understanding of human health. The stars represent his immediate family. Lastly, the Moon symbolizes crewed missions to deep space, a new frontier that Canada is preparing to explore.