This "Red Planet" patch belonged to NASA astronaut David Brown, a mission specialist who flew in space for the first time as a member of the crew of STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia mission that disintegrated upon reentry on February 1, 2003. A flight surgeon and a naval aviator, Brown was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in April 1996. After two years of training and evaluation, he qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. Aboard STS-107, Brown logged 15 days, 22 hours, and 20 minutes in space. Although this patch was never flown in space, it was a personal memento of Brown's. It is not clear what program, project, or mission this patch commemorates.

Doug Brown, Dave Brown's brother, gave the patch to the Museum in 2006.