STS-9 was the ninth mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fourth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia. It was launched on November 28, 1983, and completed its mission on December 8, 1983.
The primary objectives of STS-9 were to deploy the European Space Agency's (ESA) Spacelab module and to perform a wide range of scientific experiments in microgravity. The mission was also notable for being the first to include payload specialists from outside of NASA, as it included two ESA astronauts and one Japanese astronaut.
The STS-9 mission patch is a circular emblem that represents the mission and its crew. It typically includes the mission name, the names of the astronauts, and symbols or images that are relevant to the mission. The design of the STS-9 mission patch was created by the crew and approved by NASA. It is a tradition for each Space Shuttle mission to have its own unique mission patch, which is worn by the astronauts during the mission and is also used to promote the mission to the public.