This week’s focus is life in space—and today, we’re designing our own mission patch. Mission patches are worn by the astronauts and people affiliated with a particular space mission. Each patch has a unique design, which includes a picture relating to the mission and usually the crew members’ names. Since 1965, patches have been created for all NASA manned missions, as well as many crew-less expeditions.

Now that you’ve been accepted to participate in the first-ever crewed mission to Mars, you’ll need to design your own patch for this historic mission! Download & print our patch template, or start from scratch on blank paper. Let your creativity run wild, and share your work when it’s complete!

Geometry is applied in many fields outside of mathematics, including physics, architecture, and art. One example of the meeting of art and geometry is a mandala. Mandalas are geometric designs that often rely of symmetry around a circle. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas are used as an aid in meditation. The beauty of mandalas lies in their symmetry, and the creation of mandalas is often associated with restoring inner peace.