Space Explorer Honors Star Trek’s 60th with a Badge in Orbit

"Sophie Adenot, an astronaut with the European Space Agency, took a small token into space. The token was a Starfleet badge from the latest "Star Trek" series, Strange New Worlds. She wore it during a video that "ESA" and "Star Trek" released. The badge floated in front of the ISS Cupola windows in a photo posted online. "ESA" described the badge as a reminder of sixty years of stories that inspire people to look toward the stars."

"Adenot launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon on NASA’s Crew‑12 mission on February 13. She is the flight engineer for ISS Expedition 75. This is her first trip into orbit. Her stay will end when the next Dragon, carrying Crew‑13, arrives in a few weeks. The video shows her floating in the Columbus laboratory module, badge visible on her "ESA" shirt."

"In the video she says exploration and science are driven by curiosity and teamwork. She believes we should push farther together and turn discoveries into a better future. "Star Trek" has long echoed these ideas, showing humanity at its best. Gene Roddenberry once said humanity must learn to enjoy differences before it can meet the diversity of space. "ESA" echoed that sentiment, saying science fiction imagines the future and we build it."

"The message from the badge is simple: explore, discover, and do it together. Whether on the "USS Enterprise" or the "International Space Station", the core mission stays the same. Adenot’s gesture links pop culture with real space travel, reminding everyone that the drive to explore is shared across generations."