{"product_id":"soyuz-tm-26-sts-90-flown-mir-cover","title":"Soyuz TM-26 \/STS-90 FLOWN mission patch 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 associated with the final phase of the historic Shuttle–Mir Program, bringing together \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-26\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the Mir-24 resident crew, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpace Shuttle Endeavour mission STS-89\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Officially produced for this unique international spaceflight period, the cover is hand-signed by a remarkable total of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eten astronauts and cosmonauts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe autograph group includes the complete STS-89 Shuttle crew:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTerrence W. Wilcutt\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoe F. Edwards Jr.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Pilot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJames F. Reilly II\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMichael P. Anderson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBonnie J. Dunbar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSalizhan S. Sharipov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003etogether with the Shuttle–Mir crew-exchange astronauts:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAndrew S. W. Thomas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — incoming U.S. Mir resident\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDavid A. Wolf\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — returning U.S. Mir resident\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand the Soyuz TM-26 \/ Mir-24 resident cosmonauts:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatoly Y. Solovyov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mir Commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePavel V. Vinogradov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Mir Flight Engineer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSoyuz TM-26 launched in August 1997 with Solovyov and Vinogradov, who assumed responsibility for a complex and demanding Mir expedition following the station’s well-publicised Spektr-module damage earlier that year. Their mission included vital repair and recovery work intended to restore electrical capacity and safeguard continued Mir operations. During their long stay, they worked successively with NASA astronauts Mike Foale, David Wolf, and finally Andy Thomas, making their expedition one of the most significant chapters of sustained U.S.–Russian human-spaceflight cooperation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSTS-89, launched in January 1998, was the eighth Space Shuttle docking mission to Mir. During the mission, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndeavour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e delivered \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAndy Thomas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to begin his long-duration stay aboard Mir and returned \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDavid Wolf\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to Earth after 119 days on the station. This was the final Shuttle–Mir crew exchange before the program’s concluding mission later that year, representing a crucial transition from the Mir partnership toward the International Space Station era.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe presence of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMichael P. Anderson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e gives the cover particular poignancy and lasting historical importance. Anderson later served as payload commander aboard Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eColumbia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e on STS-107 and was lost with his six crewmates during the re-entry tragedy of 1 February 2003. His autograph is consequently of special significance to Space Shuttle collectors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFurther enhancing its provenance, the reverse is personally certified by cosmonaut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSalizhan Sharipov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, who has confirmed the item with his own individual seal. This direct authentication by a participating STS-89 crew member adds a highly desirable additional layer of confidence to an already remarkable flown artifact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith ten astronaut and cosmonaut signatures, official Shuttle–Mir-era origin, direct cosmonaut certification, distinguished Jacques Bracke provenance, and the rare association of Soyuz TM-26 with STS-89, this is a major collectible for advanced collections of Mir, Soyuz, Space Shuttle, astronaut autographs, and international spaceflight history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Been in Space","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58134224077064,"sku":"13310","price":795.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1490\/3832\/files\/13310.jpg?v=1782999204","url":"https:\/\/www.beeninspace.com\/products\/soyuz-tm-26-sts-90-flown-mir-cover","provider":"BEEN IN SPACE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}