{"product_id":"soyus-tm-22-23-24-sts-76-flown-mir-cover","title":"Soyus TM-22\/23\/24 + STS-76 FLOWN MIR cover","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the celebrated astrophilatelic collection of Jacques Bracke\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn exceptional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir space station–flown cover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, carried aboard the historic Russian orbital complex for more than six months during a defining phase of the Shuttle–Mir Program. The cover was officially produced for this unique long-duration voyage and bears two genuine \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein-space Mir postmarks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, dated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e23 February 1996\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 September 1996\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—dates that precisely frame its extraordinary passage through a changing sequence of Mir and Shuttle crews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cover is associated with four landmark missions: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-22, Soyuz TM-23, STS-76, and Soyuz TM-24\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. It is hand-signed by an exceptional group of astronauts and cosmonauts from this period, bringing together the American, Russian, German, and French participants in one of the most important early international spaceflight partnerships.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe mission participants represented are:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-22 \/ Mir-20\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYuri Gidzenko, Sergei Avdeyev, and ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-23 \/ Mir-21\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYuri Onufriyenko and Yuri Usachev.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpace Shuttle Atlantis, STS-76\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKevin Chilton, Richard Searfoss, Ronald Sega, Michael “Rich” Clifford, Linda Godwin, and Shannon Lucid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-24 \/ Mir-22\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eValery Korzun, Alexander Kaleri, and French cosmonaut-researcher Claudie André-Deshays.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis cover passed through an especially historic moment in the Shuttle–Mir Program. Soyuz TM-23 arrived at Mir in February 1996, replacing the Soyuz TM-22 crew. In March, Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with Mir on STS-76 and delivered Shannon Lucid, who began a record-setting long-duration American stay aboard the station. STS-76 also included the first spacewalk jointly involving U.S. and Russian space-program operations around Mir, performed by Michael Clifford and Linda Godwin. In August, Soyuz TM-24 brought the next Mir expedition—Korzun, Kaleri, and André-Deshays—to the station, while the original Mir-21 crew prepared to return to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-23 on 2 September 1996.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse is personally certified by cosmonaut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYuri Usachev\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, complete with his official seal—an important and highly desirable direct authentication from one of the cover’s signatories and a principal Mir resident during its flight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEven so, the cover represents a spectacular long-duration Shuttle–Mir artifact, combining multiple Soyuz expeditions, a complete Shuttle crew association, dual Mir postal markings, direct cosmonaut certification, and the distinguished provenance of Jacques Bracke.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Been in Space","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58134228730120,"sku":"13291","price":795.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1490\/3832\/files\/13291.jpg?v=1782999221","url":"https:\/\/www.beeninspace.com\/products\/soyus-tm-22-23-24-sts-76-flown-mir-cover","provider":"BEEN IN SPACE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}