Expedition 21

Astronauts often aim for the stars, but it's rare that they get to play them.

However, for every space shuttle mission since STS-96 in 1999, which was the first time a U.S. shuttle docked with the International Space Station, the Kennedy Space Center's graphics department has been creating some pretty cool (and kitschy) mission posters.

While some of the first posters created for the Space Flight Awareness (SFA) program were a bit drab, the series has evolved into artworks that depict the mission crews in the sleek style of Hollywood movie posters.

With classic film references ranging from this Expedition 21 Star Trek poster to Battlestar Galactica, Indiana Jones, the Matrix, Ocean's 11, and other science fiction favorites, NASA is certainly getting creative with their shuttle promotions.