posted 09-07-2012 08:24 AM
European Space Agency (ESA) release
Luca Parmitano flying high
ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is set to fly to the International Space Station in 2013, and his mission came a step a closer with the unveiling of his mission name and mission patch today.
Luca will spend six months on the International Space Station on Expedition 36/37 under an agreement with Italy's ASI space agency and NASA.
A competition was opened for Italian residents to suggest a mission name and logo. Luca took time out from his busy training schedule in the run-up to his mission to present the winning entries.
32 year-old Norberto Cioffi sent in the winning mission name 'Volare', meaning 'to fly' in Italian. The name symbolises the search for new frontiers and opportunities for discovery.
The winning logo was designed by 28-year-old Ilaria Sardella from San Giorgio Ionico in Southern Italy.
The logo was chosen because it contains many elements of Luca's mission: the Soyuz spacecraft that will fly him to the orbital outpost, the Station itself and the colours of the Italian flag.
The orbits represent humans' desire to travel beyond Earth and the Sun as well as our curiosity for knowledge. Both winners of the competition will travel to Star City to follow Luca's training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow, Russia.
The winners were announced at an event in Rome with Luca and the president of ASI.
Luca joined ESA's astronaut corps in 2009. Follow the astronaut's blog for regular updates on his training as well as updates from other ESA astronauts.
spaceman Member
Posts: 1165 From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK Registered: Dec 2002
posted 09-07-2012 09:27 AM
Great design with all of the essential elements and best wishes for the mission Luca. I was hoping to have a go at the naming competition. I'm sure in the past they have been open to residents of ESA member countries. 'renaISSance' was going to be my suggestion continuing with the 'ISS' in the name theme;the Italian connection with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Apollo 8 Member
Posts: 176 From: Vienna, Austria Registered: Oct 2010
posted 09-09-2012 10:14 PM
My compliments to the patch designers Noberto Cioffi and Illaria Sardella! Wonderful! - I hope, I will be able to buy one of these "Volare" patches.
And: Good luck and Godspeed to our ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano for his journey next year! The Italians are our neighbours south of the Austrian border.
MSS Member
Posts: 960 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 11-10-2012 03:09 PM
What is a patch on Luca's right shoulder from this photo?
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 12-03-2012 07:02 AM
I asked Luca, and this was his answer:
"The patch you see on my left arm in this picture is a "Special Edition" from an Italian fan club called ARSV (Amici Reparto Sperimentale Volo - Friends of the Experimental Test Wing). They are aviation enthusiasts with a knack for test airplanes, and their mascot is Wily Coyote - because he's always trying new things that he builds himself. The normal patch has a Typhoon aircraft on a black background, with the exhaust gas making an Italian flag. When I was assigned to a Soyuz flight, they made a special edition just for me, with the Soyuz (superimposed on an F104 Starfighter) and a background of the Earth."
Posts: 598 From: Holland, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2012
posted 12-03-2012 05:38 PM
Why does his ESA patch, on his right chest, only have 18 flags?
The current version of that patch has 19, and with Poland just joining, there will be 20. If memory serves...
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 12-04-2012 04:22 PM
The 18-flag patch is probably the one he was issued with back in 2009. Since then, yes we updated the patch to 19 states (ready for Andre Kuipers' flight) and now we are updating again for the Poland entry. Luca's training suits can be seen with the old 18 flag version, but he will be issued with a 20-flag patch before he launches.
Apollo 8 Member
Posts: 176 From: Vienna, Austria Registered: Oct 2010
posted 01-27-2013 06:23 PM
I want to buy one of these beautiful "Volare" patches for my collection. Are these patches available commercially anywhere?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 48194 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-07-2013 06:22 PM
Luca Parmitano discusses the choice of mission names and the design of the Volare patch in this video from the European Space Agency:
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 03-09-2013 04:49 AM
quote:Originally posted by Apollo 8: Are these patches available commercially anywhere?
The Volare mission patch will not be available commercially unfortunately. They are being produced in a limited run by the Italian space agency (ASI). Some may be available at public events, not known at this time. But the expedition patches and Soyuz patches are available from your regular sources!
posted 05-08-2013 04:56 PM
Is there any indication that ESA will put patches for the Volare mission up for sale?
Editor's note: Threads merged.
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 05-08-2013 05:26 PM
Hi Bill, see note above in this thread.
MSS Member
Posts: 960 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 05-30-2013 04:20 PM
quote:Originally posted by carl walker: Luca's training suits can be seen with the old 18 flag version, but he will be issued with a 20-flag patch before he launches.
Posts: 1036 From: The Netherlands Registered: Jan 2003
posted 05-31-2013 01:58 AM
The Kentavr suits, including patches, had to be completed last December to make the February Progress flight. The 20-flag patch was not ready yet at that time.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 48194 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-08-2013 03:34 PM
Here is the Volare patch as seen on orbit (the patch was temporarily placed on Luca Parmitano's spacesuit but will not accompany him outside the space station.
And via SpacePatches.nl, a close-up of the embroidered patch:
Russian Member
Posts: 450 From: France Registered: Nov 2012
posted 07-09-2013 03:56 AM
As far as I understand there are two versions of this patch with different background. Does somebody has the second version and can share the picture?
This version has no nylon background... maybe felt one. I saw it in Moscow. My friend got it from the crew. And I think this version is actually aboard.
hoorenz Member
Posts: 1036 From: The Netherlands Registered: Jan 2003
posted 07-09-2013 04:14 AM
You must mean this version. A friend sent me the scan. He received it from Fyodor Yurchikhin, who in turn received it from Luca Parmitano last April.
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 07-09-2013 05:59 PM
There is only one version of the patch produced (officially). The others were test pieces made earlier for the crew. The original ASI artwork (a competition winner) was altered by ASI and the Italian airforce, which was the version produced as a patch in limited numbers. The original artwork can be seen in this thread.
posted 08-21-2013 04:03 PM
Of course these are important. Romanian and Polish flags have been on ESA's patches since these countries joined. Luca's suits were prepared some time in advance, and the new patch versions were not then available.
hoorenz Member
Posts: 1036 From: The Netherlands Registered: Jan 2003
posted 08-21-2013 04:11 PM
Just to illustrate how well in advance these Russian suits (including patches and directly embroidered logo's) need to be ready: earlier this Summer, we had to scramble to obtain and prepare some of the artwork for the Russian produced onboard clothing for the Expedition-40 and 41 crews. In order to make the ATV-5 flight next year, they already had to be packed early last month!!!
MSS Member
Posts: 960 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 09-24-2013 12:46 PM
Is it Volare patch or other one at this video from today?
MSS Member
Posts: 960 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 09-24-2013 04:24 PM
Luca Parmitano has given this answer: "the Volare patch is the one on my chest."
Thanks for fast reply to me.
JBoe Member
Posts: 992 From: Edgewater, MD Registered: Oct 2012
posted 09-25-2013 03:53 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: And via SpacePatches.nl, a close-up of the embroidered patch
I really like the two material patch, it looks like a vinyl and embroidery. Is there any other patches that uses this combination and is this a "European only" design?
carl walker Member
Posts: 395 From: Netherlands Registered: Feb 2006
posted 04-17-2022 04:06 PM
I just saw that we have now been able to release the Italian Volare mission patch. See the ESA Space Shop.
BertSpace New Member
Posts: 4 From: Wildervank Registered: Nov 2020
posted 04-18-2022 07:40 AM
Luca Parmitano's Volare patch is also available from Emblemen.
posted 09-07-2012 08:24 AM
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