DoD Shuttle mission patches...
STS Contingency Support Office
Department of Defense

Contingency means in case of trouble... notice how the ship looks more like the Buran than ATS?

Originally posted by desertdreamer ATS post ID 6919652

On the last [this] patch you showed, I did some research and came up with this.

I have read that the 4 white stars may represent that the classified satellite launched into orbit was actually the fourth of its type. Four stars. Four satellites.

B-XXVIII = The only thing I could find was that this may refer to a US naval photographic plate showing a total eclipse of the sun. If you look at the patch, there is what appears to be a sun behind the eye on top of the pyramid.

NRO = This is definitely the letters for the National Reconnaissance Office
NRO

2SLS = I believe this refers to the 2nd Space Launch Squadron. They oversee the conduct of safe, reliable and timely launch operations to support Department of Defense, national and commercial customers. That looks like a Titan IV heavy lift vehicle on the patch, and that is part of the responsibility of the 2SLS.
2SLS

2SLS Patch

LMA = I believe this is referring to Lockheed Martin Aerospace (or Aeronautics)
LMA

Supra Summus = Is Latin, and loosely translated means "Above Above" or "Most Superior and Highest"

Originally posted by Shadowhawk ATS Post ID 9750399

The B-XXVIII on the patch is no mystery.  The launch vehicle was a Titan 4B, number 28 (usually denoted simply as B-28). I went to Vandenberg for that launch but it got scrubbed so the next day I watched it from Edwards AFB.

The 2nd Space Launch Squadron oversees the conduct of safe, reliable and timely launch operations from the Western Range to support Department of Defense, national and commercial customers.

The squadron's location on California's central coast makes it the only squadron in the Air Force capable of launching directly into low-earth polar and sun-synchronous orbits.

The 2nd SLS is responsible for launching the Titan IV heavy lift vehicle, the Atlas IIAS medium-heavy lift vehicle, the Titan II and Delta II medium lift vehicles, a diverse mission unmatched by any other Air Force Squadron.

Additionally, the 2 SLS provides mission planning and mission integration support for the commercially launched Athena, Taurus, and Pegasus light lift vehicles.

Supporting the Squadron's mission are 106 active-duty military and DOD civilians, including administrative support, maintenance and engineering, and mission-ready launch crews.

SOURCE: http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/agency/2sls.htm

Posted by SmedleyBurlap
"Omnis Vestri Substructio Es Servus Ad Nobis" means "All your base are belong to us." 

SOURCE: 

Naval Surveillance Satellite most likely a (NROL-30) 

Originally posted by Rigel Kent ATS Post ID 6999654

The patch with the sailing ship on it has the stellar constellation of "Cassiopea's chair" above the forward mast and the latin word PYXIS which may refer to the modern day latin word for a mariners compass... Nav satellites??
Just my 2 cents,
Thanks again, PEACE, RK

SOURCE: 

Here again we see the grouping of 5 + 1 stars with a smaller grouping of 3 stars which may represent Detatchment 3. 

FREEDOMUS AO ANAT COSAMUS

This patch is from an unknown program that took place at Groom Lake (Area 51) sometime during the late 1990s. The collection of six stars above the eagle's head may represent Area 51 (5 + 1 stars), while the collection of three stars below the eagle might represent "Detachment 3" (Groom Lake is also known as "Air Force Flight Test Center, Detachment 3"). The phrase Freedomus Ao Anat Cosamus is a garbled concoction of dog-Latin and dog-Greek. Although the intended meaning of the phrase is entirely unclear, one might venture the guess "Freedom throughout the cosmos." 

SOURCE: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.10.htm

Defending and attacking; electronic warfare... 

PANTHER DEN

Panther Den is a Special Access Program (SAP) based at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. Managed by the Big Safari project office, Panther Den is charged with overseeing classified information warfare projects. Related to electronic warfare, information warfare involves defending and attacking computer networks and other kinds of information infrastructure.

Projects falling under Panther Den's umbrella include Pirate Sword, Steel Puma, and Project Deborah. 

SOURCE: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.10.htm

On the left of the wizard is the now familiar collection of stars 5 + 1 indicating the unit's operating location Area 51. Note the shape of the handle on the sword.

SPECIAL PROJECTS FLIGHT TEST SQUADRON

Based at the Air Force's secret base near Groom Lake, Nevada, the Special Projects Flight Test Squadron is the Air Force's only "black" flight test squadron for classified prototype aircraft and advanced concept technology demonstrators.

The squadron's mascot is a wizard. A collection of six stars (5 + 1) on the patch references the unit's operating location: the secret base known as Area 51. The lowercase Greek sigma symbol in the wizard's right hand is the engineering symbol for the unknown value of an object's radar cross section (RCS). The ideal radar signature of a stealth aircraft is zero. While no stealth aircraft has yet achieved this goal, several have come close. On the right side of the patch, the falling globe references the hollow aluminum spheres dropped from the sky to calibrate radar equipment. A sphere of a given size has a known RCS value. Lightning bolts, such as the one emanating from the wizard's staff, seem to refer to electronic warfare. The aircraft in the lower right is probably a generic symbol representing flight testing of advanced aircraft. The sword at the bottom of the; image refers to a recently declassified Boeing stealth demonstrator known as the "Bird of Prey": the handle on the sword approximates the shape of the aircraft. 

SOURCE: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.1.htm

Boeing unveiled its $67 million subsonic stealth technology demonstrator design designated "Bird of Prey" part of a project conducted between 1992 and 1999.

Images not available to publish here can be viewed at this news release. Well worth viewing.
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2002/photorelease/q4/pr_021018-4m.html

Originally posted by Esoteric Teacher

Also based at Groom Lake, the Special Projects Flight Test Squadron is the Air Force’s premier "black" squadron for testing classified prototype aircraft. The squadron’s mascot is a wizard. A collection of six stars (five plus one) on the patch is a reference to the unit’s operating location: the secret base known as Area 51. The sigma symbol in the wizard’s right hand is a reference to the ideal radar signature of a stealth aircraft: zero. On the right side of the patch, the falling globe references aluminum balls dropped from the sky to calibrate radar equipment. Lightning bolts, such as the one emanating from the wizard’s staff, often refer to electronic warfare. The aircraft in the lower right is probably a generic symbol representing flight testing. The sword at the bottom of the image refers to a recently declassified Boeing stealth demonstrator known as the "Bird of Prey": the handle on the sword approximates the shape of this prototype.

SOURCE: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/24/paglen.php

The National Reconaissance Office Dragon
S
OURCE: http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1033/1

Source Credit: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.55.htm

This program patch from the National Reconnaissance Office, the United States' "black" space agency whose existence was a secret until the early 1990s. The agency was formed in the 1960's

DRAGON is a code name within the BYEMAN information compartment for the infrared imaging capabilities on CRYSTAL (advanced KH-11) reconnaissance satellites.

Even more about BYEMAN

Familiar now is the 5 + 1 stars. Special equates to black, Red White and Blue streamers refer to the Janet planes. 

Operations Group at Groom Lake

This patch is from the Operations Group at Groom Lake. The collection of five white stars and one purple star is a reference to Groom Lake's nickname, "Area 51," and here represents the Special Projects Flight Test Squadron. The color purple echoes the colors of the Special Projects Flight Test Squadron patch. The wrench and screwdriver are symbols for aircraft maintenance units and activities. There is also a red star in the bird's eye, which may reference classified squadrons such as the "Red Hats" and "Red Eagles," which were charged with flying purloined Soviet MiGs at the secret base. Green footprints on the cloud symbolize the "Ghost Squadron" search and rescue team. Lightning coming from the cloud spells out the letters "EW" for "electronic warfare" and represents EW test units and activities at the base. The red-and-white and blue-and-white streamers on either side of the bi rd reference the colors of the Janet planes.

Penser hors limites is French for "Imagination without boundaries," or "To think beyond the boundaries."

SOURCE: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.6.htm

Originally posted by macman ATS POST ID 10512129

Interesting thing is that the green footprints also are tied to the US Air Force PJs.

Originally posted by burntheships

Nice catch! 
I did not notice those little green footprints! 
Ok, did a little peek around....

Found this :

It must be remembered there is nothing-absolutely nothing-more rewarding than being a PARARESCUEMEN, wherein one is tasked with the preservation of life at all costs, even to the extent of commanding huge air armadas and mighty land forces to deliver accurate and deadly fire support: personally decimating enemy forces at close quarters in pursuit of preserving that life; garnering heroic and valorous awards more highly rated than those received by USAF's golden boys, the "speartip of the spear," its pilots.

Yes, it is good being a PJ.

SOURCE: http://www.pararescue.com/history.aspx?id=450

Thank you, that's a great addition to the thread!

Originally posted by macman ATS POST ID 10512328

I just remember that where they are painted, you don't step and that all PJ's have them tattooed on a butt cheek. 

This patch comes from an unidentified air refueling squadron charged with supporting black aircraft projects. The object in the character's hand is a fuel boom from a tanker aircraft such as a KC-135 or a KC-10. The letters NKAWTG at the bottom of the image refer to the unofficial motto of the Air Force's tanker units: "No One Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas."

SOURCE: http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.7.htm

Go to RAF Mildenhall on any day of the week and you will see a number of large grey-painted aircraft with a black square containing a white letter 'D' on their tails. These aircraft are the Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers assigned to the 351st Aerial Refuelling Squadron (ARS) of the 100th Air Refuelling Wing (ARW), one of the resident units at the base.

SOURCE: http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2007/423-100arw/100arw.htm