Mission Patch: An Emblem of the Overview Effect
An Artwork & Space Patch for Space for Humanity’s Citizen Astronaut #1: The First Mexican-born woman in Space
Patches are an important emblem in human spaceflight. They signify the intentions of the group, the mission, the people involved, and the moment in history.
To commemorate this moment for Space for Humanity's team, founder, community, and Citizen Astronaut #1, Katya Echazarreta, we turned to our Advisory Board Member & artist technologist, Drue Kataoka, to create our official mission patch. She did not disappoint.
Learn more about the meaning of the art below.
Citizen Astronaut #1 patch design by Drue Kataoka
The Dove / La Paloma
“The dove is a tribute to Space for Humanity’s mission to leverage The Overview Effect for peace in our fractured world. Instead of painting the presence of a dove, I’ve painted its absence in order to raise the question: What do we want peace to look like?,” says Drue. “On one level, the absence of the dove invites the image of peace to be realized differently in each viewer’s mind and underscores that each of us are stewards of peace. On another level, the dove’s absence is a haunting and sublime portal to a faraway starry sky, a nod to the window view Katya and future Space for Humanity Citizen Astronauts will have. Finally, the dove is traditional for Mexican ceremonies like weddings, birthdays and funerals. Just as doves mark key moments in a human life, this dove mark’s a key moment in our shared human history.”
The Nopales Cactus
The Nopales is so deeply tied to Mexican identity that it is featured on the flag, in national cuisine and in vernacular expressions. Katya said: “The Nopal, this round-looking cactus is very traditional for Mexico. We grew up with it, and it’s so engrained in our culture. It’s one of my favorite foods, it’s so so good, but also is a symbol of the country itself. It’s part of life. It’s always there. It’s always something that you can expect. It’s so easy to grow. You cut it and grow it. It’s very stable. It’s always there. You can bet on the Nopal.”
The cactus leaves in the foreground are a nod to Katya’s Mexican heritage. This resilient plant surviving across long stretches of time and space with little water or nutrients is much like a space capsule in the desert. The needles are painted like little cosmic explosions and are in counterpoint to the stars inside the dove.
The Blue Sky
A bright, promising blue sky is juxtaposed against the inky darkness of the stars. The white hot heat of the just-departed NS-21 rocket brushes the wing of the dove. We are experiencing the liftoff together, and this is just the beginning of a new era.
About the Artist
Drue Kataoka is an artist, technologist, and CEO of Drue Kataoka Studios and one of Space for Humanity’s earliest advisory board members.
About the Space for Humanity Team
This journey and patch were made possible with the original dream of Space for Humanity Founder, Dylan Taylor, the leadership of Space for Humanity Executive Director, Rachel Lyons, the expertise and generosity of Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Ron Garan, the assistance of S4H Marketing Manager Ben Simkins, and is in dialogue with the dove and design on the patch for Dylan Taylor’s spaceflight by S4H designer, Michaël Mazet
Continue to follow Katya’s journey on our social media channels.