Now patches are mandatory for every manned space mission, but where did the tradition begin?

Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova wore the very first spacesuit patch in 1963 for the Vostok 6 mission. Fun fact: Her orange coverall hid the patch from public view.

NASA continued the tradition in 1965 when Gordon Cooper, the command pilot on Gemini 5, designed one for the mission. It featured a covered wagon and the slogan "8 Days or Bust," a reference to the mission duration. NASA approved the design but removed the slogan on official versions.



In January 1967, Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee were killed in a fire during a launch rehearsal. Following this tragedy, the patches worn by NASA astronauts were changed from embroidered cloth to printed, fire-retardant cloth.

Mission patches are now professionally designed, with input from the astronauts flying on the mission.



What follows are the emblems for the manned Apollo missions.