Fifty years ago on July 15, 1975, three NASA astronauts and two Russian cosmonauts launched into space for the first time, marking a historic moment in international cooperation.
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) crew wore a unique cloth patch featuring an artwork by renowned space artist Paul Calle. Initially, Calle’s design was rejected by mission officials, who preferred a different approach.
A letter from NASA’s docking module pilot, Deke Slayton, revealed the reason behind the rejection: the powers that be were skeptical about promoting peace symbols at the time. However, Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev later praised the ASTP flight as a symbol of improved relations between the US and USSR.
Paul Calle, one of NASA’s first art program recruits, had previously documented historic spaceflights, including Apollo 11’s Moon landing mission in 1969. He also designed the popular US postage stamp commemorating that achievement.
Calle got to know the ASTP crew while accompanying them to the Soviet Union, where he sketched them training at Star City outside Moscow.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/not-that-into-peace-doves-the-apollo-soyuz-patch-nasa-rejected