Time is Ticking Away – Bid Now on an Extraordinary Piece of Space History!

In our Aim for the Stars online auction, you’ll find some really special items, including authentic mission patches from five historic spaceflights – each one personally owned by NASA astronaut Dan Bursch. These patches have been to space and come with a signed letter of authenticity from Dan.

These missions tell incredible stories of grit, innovation, and exploration:

STS-51 – A mission that almost didn’t launch after four attempts, including a dramatic pad abort just seconds before liftoff. Despite early hurdles, this rookie crew deployed the ACTS satellite amidst a high-risk anomaly and made the first night landing at Kennedy Space Center.

STS-68 – A return to flight for our astronaut, with another launch abort! This Earth-imaging mission used cutting-edge radar to map our planet in 3D and laid the foundation for environmental research across the globe.

STS-77 – Featuring more rendezvous operations than any space mission before, this flight pushed the envelope with microgravity experiments, satellite deployment, and even a giant inflatable antenna.

Expedition 4 – A 6.5-month stay aboard the International Space Station. From battling major computer failures and training for years in Russia to witnessing Earth’s changes from above – this was a mission of endurance and awe. It almost led to abandoning the ISS, but ingenuity and teamwork saved the day.

STS-111 –This mission faced weather delays and dwindling supplies before landing safely in California and was the first launch of Peggy Whitson who has spent more days in space than any other American or woman.  A powerful reminder that every journey home is a mission in itself.

Whether you’re a space enthusiast, collector, or looking for a meaningful gift, these flown patches are priceless pieces of human spaceflight history. All proceeds support the Discovery Center’s mission to inspire the next generation of explorers.

Bid now before they’re gone at: givebutter.com/c/MSDCAuction2025/auction