Space missions have long had uniform patches for crew, a tradition carried over from the military background many early astronauts and cosmonauts had. Even projects with un-crewed spacecraft, like Hubble and JWST, are described by NASA as missions, and come with patches.
So, of course, MagAO-X needs patches. We launch (to Chile) with a crew to operate the instrument, after all.
2022B
Gabriela la gata Andina is our mascot for 2022B.
2022A
After an extended hiatus, MagAO-X was able to finally continue its commissioning! This run’s mascot is named Carlos Culpeo.
2021
2021A was also canceled, as was 2021B.
2020 and The Age of COVID-19
Of course, in 2020, the world ended. We had a design featuring a suave guanaco for 2020A which, at the last minute, was changed to 2020B in hopes that this COVID-19 thing would blow over by fall.
The patches came out great. The rest of the [gestures vaguely], not so much.
In honor of the 2020 we actually had, another design was produced.
That’s a coyote from Jared’s back yard under a full ‘rona moon.
2019B
For 2019B, the first light run of MagAO-X, there was no better choice than unofficial team mascot Vizzy Viscacha, seen here posing at sunset.
