{"product_id":"soyuz-tm-26-flown-cover-pegasus-france","title":"Soyuz TM-26 – FLOWN cover Pegasus France","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\u003eA remarkable \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir space station–flown Soyuz TM-26 cover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, postmarked \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethree times aboard Mir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and hand-signed by all five astronauts and cosmonauts connected with the mission’s final crew transition. This is an especially attractive artifact from the closing years of Mir, when Russian, French, American, and international partners were building the experience that would soon be applied to the International Space Station.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cover is signed by:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eAndyThomas\u003c\/b\u003e— US astronaut\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePavel V. Vinogradov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Soyuz TM-26 flight engineer and Mir EO-24 flight engineer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTalgat A. Musabayev\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Soyuz TM-27 commander and incoming Mir EO-25 commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNikolai M. Budarin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Soyuz TM-27 flight engineer and incoming Mir EO-25 flight engineer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLéopold Eyharts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — French CNES\/ESA astronaut and participant in the French–Russian \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePégase\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e mission\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-26 launched in August 1997 carrying Solovyov and Vinogradov to Mir for the long-duration \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir EO-24\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e expedition. Their mission came at a demanding point in the station’s history, following the 1997 collision that damaged Mir’s Spektr module and reduced available power. The crew carried out essential recovery and repair work while maintaining the station’s scientific program and hosting a changing sequence of American Shuttle–Mir astronauts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn January 1998, Soyuz TM-27 arrived with Musabayev, Budarin, and French astronaut Léopold Eyharts. Eyharts undertook the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePégase\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e mission, a French–Russian scientific program conducted aboard Mir from 29 January to 19 February 1998. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Pégase connection gives the item particular European importance. Léopold Eyharts was among the leading French astronauts of his generation, and his Mir mission formed an important chapter in France’s long-running cooperation with the Russian human-spaceflight program. He later returned to space as an ESA astronaut on the International Space Station, linking the Mir era directly with the next generation of multinational orbital exploration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe three genuine Mir postmarks provide tangible evidence of the cover’s time aboard the station. Combined with the complete five-signature group, the rare overlap of Soyuz TM-26 and TM-27 personnel, the French Pégase mission association, and the distinguished Jacques Bracke provenance, this is a superb centerpiece for collectors of Mir, Soyuz, French spaceflight, Shuttle–Mir history, and astronaut-signed astrophilately.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Been in Space","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58134219882760,"sku":"13307","price":195.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1490\/3832\/files\/13307.jpg?v=1782999195","url":"https:\/\/www.beeninspace.com\/products\/soyuz-tm-26-flown-cover-pegasus-france","provider":"BEEN IN SPACE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}