SpaceX DSCOVR Falcon 9 Patch

SpaceX DSCOVR Falcon 9 Patch

This SpaceX mission patch was designed for the launch of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. DSCOVR is an Earth observation and space climate satellite, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the United States Air Force and NASA.

The DSCOVR mission was SpaceX's first interplanetary space launch, with the satellite being put into a Lagrange point orbit, around one and a half million kilometres from Earth. This particular Lagrange orbit means that there is a balance between the gravitational pull of the Sun and the pull of the Earth on the DSCOVR satellite - which allows it to orbit the Sun at the same rate as the Earth does. The satellite can then have a fixed view of Earth, watching as the planet rotates on its axis. This allows DSCOVR to take some incredible images of Earth, contributing to Earth observation studies, as well as acting as an early warning system for solar magnetic storms.

The patch design includes a Falcon 9 rocket and the DSCOVR satellilte with the Earth and Sun depicted either side - to highlight the special Lagrange orbit the satellite was put into. A four leaf clover also features in the bottom left hand corner of the patch. The four leaf clover is a common feature on SpaceX patch designs. The symbol was first used on the patch for the Falcon 1 rocket in 2008 - as a lucky charm. This was the fourth attempt to launch a Falcon 1 rocket, so when it was successful, SpaceX adopted the symbol and continued using it on many other patch designs.