Astronaut Shows How Crew-12's Handmade Space Symbols Kept Home Close In Orbit

A small collection of handmade objects became a meaningful reminder of home, family and life on Earth for the Crew-12 astronauts during their more than seven months aboard the International Space Station, with astronaut Jessica Meir sharing how each crew member chose a personal symbol for their microgravity indicator before NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles on October 8, according to NASA.

Meir said the microgravity indicator consists of four satellites orbiting a crocheted Earth. All the elements were handmade by Jack's daughter and Meir's childhood best friend.

She wrote, "Each crew member selected a personal symbol or “satellite.” A tether links each satellite to the Earth, representing our connection to our families, friends, and our one shared home. We'll see this indicator drop as we re-enter Earth's gravity tomorrow."

"I chose a panda holding a mushroom, two adorable symbols of environmental importance and cultural fascination. Pandas are modern icons of species preservation and international diplomacy, and a pivotal character in my childhood," she added.

She also highlighted the importance of mushrooms, describing fungi as "the great decomposers" and saying that all life on Earth depends on them to keep soils healthy and food webs functioning.

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Jack Carries A Piece Of Family

Astronaut Jack Hathaway chose a moon hand-crocheted by his daughter. According to Meir, each colour woven into the moon represents a member of his family or a cherished shared activity.

She wrote, "By bringing this piece with him, he keeps their bond close, allowing Jack to relive happy memories while looking forward to the ones they'll create when he returns."

Sophie Brings A Reminder Of Home

Astronaut Sophie Adenot chose a banana as her satellite. Meir described bananas as the world's most common fruit, an ordinary food shared by billions of people across every continent.

But fresh fruit is rare on orbit. Sophie therefore wanted the banana to serve as a playful reminder of kitchens and home, with a familiar piece of Earth drifting weightless alongside the crew.

Andrey's Mystery Symbol

Astronaut Andrey Fedyaev chose a symbol because it reminded him of an old Soviet space movie. Rather than immediately revealing what it was, Meir invited everyone to guess.

Bringing the four personal symbols together, Meir presented the collection as "Planet Gaia and her moons", floating inside Crew-12's Dragon.

The handmade Earth and its four satellites carry different meanings, but together they represent the astronauts' connections to family, memories, home and the planet they share.