June 14 of each year is celebrated as Flag Day in the U.S. According to the Library of Congress’s online site, “on May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.”
All NASA spacecraft include a United States flag. Through the decades, our nation’s flag has been placed on the Moon, headed into interstellar space, accompanied rovers on Mars, and been featured on spacesuits.
In this iconic image, Mission Commander John Young salutes the flag while jumping! The Apollo 16 Lunar Module Orion and the Lunar Roving Vehicle are in the background.
Feature: Flag Day – Flying High: The Stars and Stripes in Space
View: Flags Aboard NASA Missions Gallery
Image Credit: NASA/Charlie Duke