Alexei Leonov’s Sokol Spacesuit Used in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Bonhams’ annual Space History Sale, conducted on Thursday in New York City, totaled $1.2 million, with two of the most-expensive items being spacesuits worn by two cosmonauts. The biggest hit was the space suit worn by Alexei Leonov on his 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission. It was the first time that the Americans and the Soviets met in space with their spaceships. Leonov’s Sokol K Spacesuit has sold for a tremendous $242,000, exceeding its presale estimate of between $100,000 and $150,000.
On the other hand, Soyuz TM-10 space suit, worn by Gennadi Strekalov during a 1990 mission to the Mir space station, managed to sell for $67,100. It was expected to sell for between $60,000 and $80,000. This suit has spent 130 days in space.
The second-highest sale at Bonhams’ Space sale was that of a flight-plan page from the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission. The sheet, with extensive notes by astronauts James Lovell and Fred Haise, went for $111,020, about three times what was expected. Another highlight from Space History Sale was Scott’s Lunar Surface Stopwatch, which remains unsold as of now. It was expected to sell for between $120,000 and $180,000.
Bonhams’ space auction was held to coincide with the anniversary of NASA’s first human spaceflight,Freedom 7, on May 5, 1961. This spaceflight made Alan Shepard the first American in space.
Gennadi Strekalev Sokol KV-2 Soyuz TM-10 Flown Spacesuit, 1990
