{"product_id":"sts-71-soyuz-tm-21-flown-mir-cover","title":"STS-71 – Soyuz TM-21 FLOWN MIR cover - first Shuttle MIR docking - COA","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 major historical \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir space station–flown cover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e commemorating the first docking of a U.S. Space Shuttle with the Russian space station Mir: the landmark \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSTS-71 mission of Space Shuttle Atlantis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in June–July 1995.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis exceptional cover was carried aboard Mir and bears an extraordinary \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efour postmarks applied in space\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, including both dated Mir cancellations associated with the mission. Only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efour covers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e are believed to have been prepared with this exact pair of date postmarks, making it an exceptionally scarce and important Shuttle–Mir postal artifact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cover is hand-signed by the participating STS-71 and Soyuz TM-21 \/ Mir crews, with the exception of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBonnie J. Dunbar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The signatures represent the astronauts and cosmonauts directly connected with this historic international crew exchange:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSTS-71 \/ Space Shuttle Atlantis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert L. “Hoot” Gibson — Commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCharles J. Precourt — Pilot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEllen S. Baker — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGregory J. Harbaugh — Mission Specialist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBonnie J. Dunbar — Mission Specialist, not present on this cover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir-18 \/ Soyuz TM-21 return crew\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVladimir N. Dezhurov — Mir commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGennady M. Strekalov — Flight engineer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorman E. Thagard — NASA astronaut and the first American to live aboard Mir\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMir-19 incoming crew\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatoly Y. Solovyev — Mir commander\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNikolai M. Budarin — Flight engineer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSTS-71 launched on 27 June 1995 and marked the first docking of a Space Shuttle with Mir. The mission was also the first Shuttle crew exchange at the station: Atlantis delivered Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin to begin the Mir-19 expedition, while Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov, and Norman Thagard returned to Earth aboard Atlantis after 115 days in orbit. The mission represented a decisive early milestone in U.S.–Russian cooperation in space and helped establish the operational experience later applied to the International Space Station.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cover is accompanied by a separate photographic \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCertificate of Authenticity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, personally confirming its flown status and authenticity from cosmonaut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVladimir Dezhurov\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, complete with his endorsement. This direct provenance from the Mir commander adds an exceptional level of confidence and collector appeal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith four in-space Mir postmarks, exceptionally limited dual-date cancellation status, the signatures of the historic combined Shuttle–Mir crews, cosmonaut-authenticated flown provenance, and the distinguished Jacques Bracke collection history, this is a museum-quality centerpiece for any advanced collection of Mir, Shuttle–Mir, astronaut autographs, or space-flown postal history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Been in Space","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58134225060104,"sku":"13301","price":750.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1490\/3832\/files\/13301.jpg?v=1782999208","url":"https:\/\/www.beeninspace.com\/products\/sts-71-soyuz-tm-21-flown-mir-cover","provider":"BEEN IN SPACE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}