This flag and crew patch were flown aboard the Space Shuttle "Columbia" (STS-1) / April 12-14, 1981 / Presented to / Adlai Stevenson / In recognition of the significant contributions you made to the success of this mission

Original space-flown flag (5½" X 4¼") and cloth patch (4¼" X 4 3/4") presented on a 12 3/4" X 16 3/4" cream colored heavy stock, in turn mounted to a 16" X 20" pale blue mat board. Very good. Bit of slight soiling. The cream colored stock bears glossy photographs on the upper left (takeoff) and lower right (landing) corners. At lower left is a circular flute-edged NASA gold foil seal, and the space-flown flag is mounted at upper right -- consisting of the State Seal of Illinois, with the word "ILLINOIS" below, against a white background. The printed text cited above appears immediately below this flag, and the crew patch below this text. JOHN YOUNG (1930-2018) signs boldly in black ink to the left of the patch, while ROBERT L. CRIPPEN (born 1937) signs to the right. The Columbia STS-1 flight was called by NASA "The boldest test flight in history." It was the first orbital flight of the Space Shuttle program, lasting 54½ hours and orbiting the Earth 37 times; commanded by John Young and piloted by Robert Crippen, it was the first to use solid-fuel rockets in a U.S. manned launch. These rare relics were presented to Illinois' then-senator, ADLAI E. STEVENSON III (1930-2021), who was instrumental in guiding U.S. space policy.