budarin

Expedition 6 was the sixth expedition to the International Space Station. It was the last three-man crew to reside on the station until the arrival of STS-121. The crew performed two spacewalks in support of maintenance and assembly of the International Space Station.

The Station's sixth crew was launched to the Station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-113 in November 2002. The mission was expected to be a four-month mission that was to end in March 2003 when Atlantis STS-114 was to fly to the Station with the Expedition 7 crew. The Columbia disaster, which occurred during the mission on 1 Feb. 2003, and resulted in the indefinite suspension of shuttle flights, changed plans and the crew stayed on the station until May 2003. They returned to earth on Soyuz TMA-1 and a reduced Expedition 7 crew with just two members was delivered to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-2. The Space Shuttle was expected to be grounded for up to two years. Ongoing logistical support for the ISS would have to be carried out by Soyuz and Progress flights until the Space Shuttle returned to flight.

Originally scheduled to fly on the Expedition 6 Crew in place of Don Pettit was Donald A. Thomas. A limited number of patches with "Thomas" were issued. 

Expedition 6 was the sixth expedition to the International Space Station. It was the last three-man crew to reside on the station until the arrival of STS-121. The crew performed two spacewalks in support of maintenance and assembly of the International Space Station.

The Station's sixth crew was launched to the Station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-113 in November 2002. The mission was expected to be a four-month mission that was to end in March 2003 when Atlantis STS-114 was to fly to the Station with the Expedition 7 crew. The Columbia disaster, which occurred during the mission on 1 Feb. 2003, and resulted in the indefinite suspension of shuttle flights, changed plans and the crew stayed on the station until May 2003. They returned to earth on Soyuz TMA-1 and a reduced Expedition 7 crew with just two members was delivered to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-2. The Space Shuttle was expected to be grounded for up to two years. Ongoing logistical support for the ISS would have to be carried out by Soyuz and Progress flights until the Space Shuttle returned to flight.

Originally scheduled to fly on the Expedition 6 Crew in place of Don Pettit was Donald A. Thomas.

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

This is a rather unique patch. I don't recall seeing any other newer STS launch team patches. Probably has to do with the return to flight. 

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

The most noticable difference with this patch is the thicker border. There is also a black thread outline where the flame trail passes over the blue border. 

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

What sets apart the "official" A-B Emblem STS-114 patches apart from the reproductions is the pattern used to background the continents. It is a different grain than that of the oceans. Combined with a solid red continental outline and thicker black border, you can usually identify the A-B version. 

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

This patch is very similar to Randy Hunt's "Kaleri" version, but can be identified by the solid continent outlines and alternate pattern in the contintents themselves.

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

This concept patch was made by Randy Hunt and represents an updated crew manifest:  Soichi Noguchi, Stephen K. Robinson, James M. Kelly, Eileen M. Collins, Edward T. Lu, cosmonauts Yuri I. Malenchenko, and Alexander Y. Kaleri.

This patch is very similar to the A-B Emblem STS-114 "Kaleri" version, but can be identified by the dashed continent outlines and lack of alternate pattern in the contintents themselves.

STS-114 marked the return to flight of the Space Shuttle after the Columbia disaster and was the second Shuttle flight with a female commander (Eileen Collins, who also commanded the STS-93 mission). The STS-114 mission was initially to be flown aboard the orbiter Atlantis, but NASA replaced it with Discovery after improperly installed gear was found in Atlantis' Rudder Speed Brake system. During OMM for Discovery, an actuator on the RSB system was found to be installed incorrectly. This created a fleet wide suspect condition. The Rudder Speed Brake system was removed and reburbished on all three remaining orbiter vehicles and since Discovery's RSB was corrected first, it became the Return to Flight vehicle over Atlantis. Seventeen years prior, Discovery had flown NASA's previous Return to Flight mission, STS-26.

This concept patch was made by Randy Hunt and represents an initial crew manifest:  Eileen M. Collins, James M. Kelly, Soichi Noguchi and Stephen K. Robinson, Edward T. Lu, cosmonauts Sergei I. Moschenko and Yuri I. Malenchenko.

STS-113 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the 14-day mission in late 2002, Endeavour and its crew extended the ISS backbone with the P1 truss and exchanged the Expedition 5 and Expedition 6 crews aboard the station. With Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Paul Lockhart at the controls, Endeavour docked with the station on 25 November 2002 to begin seven days of station assembly, spacewalks and crew and equipment transfers. This was Endeavour’s last flight before entering its Orbiter Major Modification period until 2007, and also the last shuttle mission before the Columbia disaster.

This version is easy to spot by the black bordering around the "CXIII" lettering.

STS-113 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the 14-day mission in late 2002, Endeavour and its crew extended the ISS backbone with the P1 truss and exchanged the Expedition 5 and Expedition 6 crews aboard the station. With Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Paul Lockhart at the controls, Endeavour docked with the station on 25 November 2002 to begin seven days of station assembly, spacewalks and crew and equipment transfers. This was Endeavour’s last flight before entering its Orbiter Major Modification period until 2007, and also the last shuttle mission before the Columbia disaster.

STS-113 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the 14-day mission in late 2002, Endeavour and its crew extended the ISS backbone with the P1 truss and exchanged the Expedition 5 and Expedition 6 crews aboard the station. With Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Paul Lockhart at the controls, Endeavour docked with the station on 25 November 2002 to begin seven days of station assembly, spacewalks and crew and equipment transfers. This was Endeavour’s last flight before entering its Orbiter Major Modification period until 2007, and also the last shuttle mission before the Columbia disaster.

Pettit replaced Don Thomas on the crew due to a medical issue. Loria was removed from the flight after he injured his back at home and replace with Lockhart.

The source of this patch is unknown. It differs from the A-B Emblem STS-113 version, most notebly in the red solar panels (A-B Emblem version has raised red border, this version has black) and the embroidery of the star. Other than that it is a faithful reproduction. 

Curiously, there is a complimentary STS-113 original crew version (Thomas/Loria) of this patch from the same maker. 

STS-113 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the 14-day mission in late 2002, Endeavour and its crew extended the ISS backbone with the P1 truss and exchanged the Expedition 5 and Expedition 6 crews aboard the station. With Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Paul Lockhart at the controls, Endeavour docked with the station on 25 November 2002 to begin seven days of station assembly, spacewalks and crew and equipment transfers. This was Endeavour’s last flight before entering its Orbiter Major Modification period until 2007, and also the last shuttle mission before the Columbia disaster.

Pettit replaced Don Thomas on the crew due to a medical issue. Loria was removed from the flight after he injured his back at home and replace with Lockhart.

The source of this patch is unknown. It differs from the A-B Emblem STS-113 version, most notebly in the red solar panels (A-B Emblem version has raised red border, this version has black) and the embroidery of the star. Other than that it is a faithful reproduction. A-B Emblem said that no STS-113 versions with Thomas/Loria were produced. 

Nevertheless, this is a scarce patch to find.

Curiously, there is a complimentary STS-113 revised version (Pettit/Lockhart) of this patch from the same maker. 

STS-71 was the third mission of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program, which carried out the first Space Shuttle docking to Mir, a Russian space station. The mission used Space Shuttle Atlantis, which lifted off from launch pad 39A on 27 June 1995 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission delivered a relief crew of two cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin, to the station, along with recovering American Increment astronaut Norman Thagard, and was the first in a series of seven straight missions to the station flown by Atlantis.
The five-day docking marked the creation of the largest spacecraft ever placed into orbit at that time in history, the first ever on-orbit changeout of Shuttle crew members, and the 100th manned space launch by the United States. During the docked operations, the crews of the shuttle & station carried out various on-orbit joint US/Russian life sciences investigations aboard Spacelab/Mir and a logistical resupply of the Mir, along with the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) experiment.

Similar to the Eagle Crest Emblem version, however the yellow rays of the sun are embroidered differently. 

STS-71 was the third mission of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program, which carried out the first Space Shuttle docking to Mir, a Russian space station. The mission used Space Shuttle Atlantis, which lifted off from launch pad 39A on 27 June 1995 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission delivered a relief crew of two cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin, to the station, along with recovering American Increment astronaut Norman Thagard, and was the first in a series of seven straight missions to the station flown by Atlantis.
The five-day docking marked the creation of the largest spacecraft ever placed into orbit at that time in history, the first ever on-orbit changeout of Shuttle crew members, and the 100th manned space launch by the United States. During the docked operations, the crews of the shuttle & station carried out various on-orbit joint US/Russian life sciences investigations aboard Spacelab/Mir and a logistical resupply of the Mir, along with the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) experiment.

The Eagle Crest version has a dark circle around the sun and lighter blue rays.

STS-71 was the third mission of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program, which carried out the first Space Shuttle docking to Mir, a Russian space station. The mission used Space Shuttle Atlantis, which lifted off from launch pad 39A on 27 June 1995 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission delivered a relief crew of two cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin, to the station, along with recovering American Increment astronaut Norman Thagard, and was the first in a series of seven straight missions to the station flown by Atlantis.
The five-day docking marked the creation of the largest spacecraft ever placed into orbit at that time in history, the first ever on-orbit changeout of Shuttle crew members, and the 100th manned space launch by the United States. During the docked operations, the crews of the shuttle & station carried out various on-orbit joint US/Russian life sciences investigations aboard Spacelab/Mir and a logistical resupply of the Mir, along with the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) experiment.

This is likely the A-B Emblem version. Thick black borders around the flags and less detail on Mir (and no read thread on Mir). 

Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar
Cosmonauts Solovyev and Budarin