Expedition 21+22 FLOWN ISS cover - official Energyia edition

Expedition 21 / 22 Flown ISS Cover – Official RKK Energia Edition – Complete Five-Person Crew Signatures – Jacques Bracke Collection

A scarce official RKK Energia flown International Space Station cover from Expeditions 21 and 22, hand-signed by the complete five-person Expedition 22 crew: Jeffrey Williams, Maxim Suraev, Oleg Kotov, Timothy “T.J.” Creamer, and Soichi Noguchi.

The cover bears two onboard ISS cancellations dated December 23, 2009 and March 18, 2010, spanning the beginning and conclusion of this important phase of station operations. Expedition 22 followed the transition from Expedition 21 and saw the ISS support major scientific research, Russian and American spacewalks, and the arrival of STS-130, which delivered the Tranquility module and the iconic Cupola observation module.

Williams and Suraev had previously served during Expedition 21, while Kotov, Creamer, and Noguchi joined them in December 2009 to form the full Expedition 22 crew. Williams and Suraev returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-16 on March 18, 2010, the date of the second onboard cancellation.

Provenance: From the personal collection of renowned astrophilatelist Jacques Bracke.

A highly desirable flown ISS postal artifact combining official RKK Energia production, complete crew signatures, dual onboard postmarks, and distinguished Bracke provenance from an important period in the continued expansion of the International Space Station.