Soyuz Capsule For Sale At The Space Store

SPACE TRAVEL

Historic Soyuz Capsule For Sale

The Soyuz TM-26 descent capsule was flown to MIR by Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Soloviev and Pavel Vinogradov. They were the cosmonauts who performed emergency repairs to save MIR following the collision with a Progress tanker. Their heroic efforts saved the station which is still in orbit three years later.

Washington - Nov 1, 2000
Three and one-half years after its first launch to Space Station MIR, at the peak of joint American and Russian long-term space exploration, the Russian Soyuz TM26 Descent Capsule has temporarily docked at Space Media's e-commerce site, The Space Store where it is for sale for $2.2 million. Space Media, Inc. is a subsidiary media corporation of Spacehab, Inc.

"The acquisition offers space enthusiasts around the world the opportunity to own a piece of history," said Space Media Senior Vice President Chris Petersen. "The new Soyuz owner and a guest will be granted access to a Russian space launch and a guided VIP tour of Star City, which is the Russian training facility for both cosmonauts and astronauts."

"Space Media, Incorporated is dedicated to sharing the excitement and wonder of space exploration with everyone, everywhere," said Dr. Shelley Harrison, CEO of SMI and Spacehab. "Part of that is sharing the tools for space exploration, and we are proud to offer this spacecraft -- used only once and none the worse for wear after its first 79 million miles of travel."

Nearly every Russian crew has used this model spaceship, making it one of the most successful spacecraft designs in history. Cosmonauts Anatoly Soloviev and Pavel Vinogradov were aboard on Aug. 5, 1997, during a mission to make emergency repairs to the legendary space station MIR.

U.S. astronaut Dave Wolf spent hours in this Soyuz TM-26 during a critical emergency spacewalk, maintaining a safe refuge for cosmonauts Soloviov and Vinogradov in case their repairs failed, forcing them to bail out of the orbiting station. The Soyuz TM-26 returned on Feb. 19, 1998, logging a total of 198 days in space.

Originally developed to support then-Soviet efforts to land on the moon, the Soyuz capsule is a proven design conceived and first built in the 1960s. The design was one of two spacecraft involved in the first joint space effort involving the United States and the then-Soviet Union.

The Apollo-Soyuz project, or Soyuz-Apollo as it was known in Russia, took place in July 1975. It is launched attached to a so-called "habitability module" containing basic crew living quarters, and the entire "stack" is docked to either the MIR or the International Space Station for up to six months at a time. The descent capsule being offered for sale is separated from the rest of the launched vehicle and provides safe passage home for up to three space travelers.

"The Soyuz is a remarkable and dependable spacecraft," Dr. Harrison noted.

Recognizing the demand for space-related gear that could be purchased outside of the NASA Space Centers, former Houston radio personality and talk-show host Dayna Steele-Justiz and her husband, test pilot Charlie Justiz, founded The Space Store in 1997. Recently acquired by SMI and dedicated to space enthusiasts of all ages, especially children, The Space Store carries more than 400 different space items including NASA flight suits for adults and kids, space food, real astronaut mission patches, space toys and more.

Editor's Note: Space Media Network - a trading name of SpaceDaily.com - has no commercial affiliation with Space Media Inc.

SPACE TRAVEL

Soyuz Ready To Rocket First Permanent Crew To ISS

Baikonur (AFP) Oct. 30, 2000
The Russian Soyuz rocket ship was positioned onto the Baikonur launchpad early Sunday in preparation for Tuesday's historic manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

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