Mr. Stitch Patches Go to Space with SpaceX Polaris Dawn

Mr. Stitch patches went farther than most embroidery projects ever will. The four-person Polaris Dawn crew wore patches made by Mr. Stitch during their SpaceX mission in September 2024, including on the crew's flight suits.

Polaris Dawn spent nearly five days in orbit and completed several major objectives, including the first commercial spacewalk, testing Starlink laser-based communications and conducting nearly 40 scientific research experiments.

Mr. Stitch Patches on the Polaris Dawn Mission

The patches were part of the project before launch as well. The Polaris Dawn crew also wore Mr. Stitch patches during their training, giving the embroidery a role throughout different stages of the mission.

Once the crew reached orbit, the same project became something unusual for an embroidery shop in Sherman Oaks: Mr. Stitch's work was now being worn in space.

What the SpaceX Polaris Dawn Crew Accomplished

Polaris Dawn launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft on September 10, 2024. During the mission, Jared Isaacman, Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon spent nearly five days in orbit.

Some of the mission's major milestones included:

• The first commercial spacewalk, carried out using SpaceX's EVA suits.

• Nearly 40 scientific research experiments focused on human health and future long-duration spaceflight.

• Testing Starlink laser-based communications between Dragon and the Starlink network.

• Reaching a record-setting Earth orbit, traveling farther from Earth than any humans since the Apollo era.

Those achievements provide the context for why having our embroidery travel with the crew made this such an unusual project for Mr. Stitch.

Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis Made History Too

Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis also used the mission for outreach from orbit. Menon read her children's book Kisses from Space, including for her family and patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Gillis performed “Rey's Theme” on violin as part of the Harmony of Resilience music project.

Gillis's performance connected with musicians around the world and supported St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and El Sistema USA. Gillis and Menon also set a record for the greatest distance from Earth reached by women during the mission.

From Training to Orbit

The Polaris Dawn crew prepared for the mission through extensive training that included Dragon simulations, survival training, altitude training, skydiving and other exercises.

Mr. Stitch's patches can also be seen with the crew during this training period, so the project was connected with Polaris Dawn before the spacecraft ever left Earth.

Polaris Dawn Returns to Earth

Polaris Dawn safely splashed down off the coast of Florida on September 15, 2024, after nearly five days in orbit. Jared Isaacman had previously flown on Inspiration4, while the other three Polaris Dawn crew members were making their first trips to space.

Throughout the mission imagery, the crew can be seen in their flight suits—including the patch work that connected this historic spaceflight back to our embroidery shop in Los Angeles.

Custom Patches for Projects That Need Their Own Identity

Mission patches are more than decoration. They give a project, organization or crew a recognizable emblem that can be carried across uniforms, apparel and other applications.

Mr. Stitch creates made-to-order patches for companies, entertainment projects, organizations and other custom uses. Shape and color can be planned around the artwork and intended application.

From the Super Bowl to Polaris Dawn

Polaris Dawn was not Mr. Stitch's first connection with a SpaceX-related project. We previously created a custom Inspiration4 patch connected to the mission's Super Bowl campaign. You can read that story in SpaceX Chooses Mr. Stitch.

A Mr. Stitch Project That Really Went to Space

Polaris Dawn was a memorable project for our shop because the patches were there through training and ultimately traveled into orbit with the crew. We are proud to have contributed a small embroidered part to a much larger mission.

To see more custom pieces completed by Mr. Stitch, browse our embroidery work.