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Hidden gems from the Russian Space photo archives

SpeedyPhill
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Delving further in the photo collection from a time when it took up to six or even twelve months before getting an answer with a (signed) crew photo via snail mail letter from Star City - Moscow ... most exciting days ! #MoonwatchUniverse
42 years ago... Soyuz 39 and Intercosmos Mongolia
The March 1981 Soyuz 39 flight marked the eighth Intercosmos mission, this time with research cosmonaut Zhugderdemidiyn "Gurr" Gurragcha, the very first cosmonaut from Mongolia. It was the 2nd spaceflight for cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov as the crew stayed onboard the Salyut-6 space station conducting scientific experiments during a 7 days 20 hours mission.
Note that Vladimir Dzhanibekov wore an Omega Speedmaster 861 chronograph underneath his Sokol spacesuit, a wristwatch he received in late 1973 as a support cosmonaut for the historic ASTP Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
(Photo: TASS/Roscosmos)
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Omega_Soyuz39_MoonwatchUniverse.jpg
 
TLIGuy
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Great image this morning @SpeedyPhill

Notice anything on that Speedmater bracelet that would catch my eye? This would be the first image I've see with a cosmonaut using a small wrist calendar. You can clearly see it folded over the bracelet at the bottom.

Cosmonaut Wrist Calendar.jpeg
 
TLIGuy
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Well I never noticed it... sitting near the clasp ?
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S O Y U Z 39.jpg

Yes, you can see the folded tab over the edge of bracelet, the text across the top, and the edge of the metal plate.
Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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50 years ago... Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project for the Soviet-Russian spaceflight program!
Tuesday May 22, 1973 a delegation of Russian cosmonauts lead by cosmonaut/flight director Aleksei Yeliseyev and Star City director Georgi Beregovoy visited the Omega HQ in Bienne - Switzerland.
We can assume that during this visit, they were shown several Omega pilot watches (flightmaster) and the Omega Speedmaster chronographs as used by NASA astronauts. Moreover, they were proposed the Alaska II Project Speedmaster chronographs in their protective red outer cases!
On May 24, at the Paris Air show, the Russian cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Valeri Kubasov were announced as Apollo-Soyuz prime crew for the 1975 ASTP - Apollo Soyuz Test Project mission.
I would like to find out which were the other cosmonauts invited at Omega HQ, but we can be sure about these facts:
June 1973: Both Alexei Leonov and Valeri Kubasov both wore an Omega flightmaster during Soyuz training at Star City - Moscow
August 1973: Star city director Georgi Beregovoy wore an Omega Speedmaster overseeing Soyuz 12 training
Last but not least, via fax to Omega HQ the Russians ordered some Omega Speedmaster Alaska II Project chronographs, which were worn during Soyuz 25 and Soyuz 26 to the modern Salyut-6 space station... December 1977.
I'm convinced these Omega Speedmaster ex-Alaska II Project chronographs were worn during the July 29, 1978 spacewalk by Aleksandr Ivanchenkov and Vladimir Kovalyonok !
(Photos: MoonwatchUniverse)
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1978_AlaskaProject-USSR-.jpg 1978_AlaskaProject-USSR.jpg
 
SpeedyPhill
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Within 5 years, we notice that following Omega watches had been flown in space on the wrists of cosmonauts:
Omega Speedmaster (Mk III and later Speedmaster 125)
Omega flightmaster
Omega ex-Alaska II Project Speedmaster
📖 (screenshot: MoonwatchUniverse)
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z-MoonwatchUniverse-Omega.jpg
 
BLOW UP
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
@BLOW UP
We can't change History
You would think so, but new evidence, reinterpretations, genetic analysis, carbon dating etc. mean that most histories are in a constant state of flux, and are continuously being changed in one way or another..
 
Aroxx
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Everything that happens now, is happening now. When will then be now? Soon.

 
SpeedyPhill
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Answering a few messages about the above post: ex- Alaska II Project Speedmaster
🤔☕
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AlaskaProject_Spacewalk29.jpg
Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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August 1973... Speedmaster at Star City - Moscow !
On May 22, 1973, Omega HQ Bienne received a delegation of Russian cosmonauts lead by Aleksei Yeliseyev and presented the spacefarers with the Omega toolwatches such as the flightmaster pilot watch and the Speedmaster chronograph. The Russian delegation was even shown the ex-Alaska II Project Speedmaster chronographs with red outer case, originally designed for use on the bumpy Lunar Rover in the harsh/dusty Moon environment. However, Omega's Alaska II Project never made it to the Moon but the Russians showed interest for use on the newly developed Orlan EVA space suit on the Salyut-6 space station.
Already in June 1973, the Omega flightmaster pilot watch was spotted on the wrists of the ASTP cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Valeri Kubasov while training in a Soyuz simulator at Star City - Moscow. It looks like the earliest Russian Omega Speedmaster chronograph photo dates August 1973 as Star City commander Georgi Beregovoy talked to the Soyuz 12 crew.
The first Omega flightmaster pilot watch Speedmaster flown-in-space on Soyuz 14 in July 1974 while the first Omega Speedmaster chronograph worn by a Russian cosmonaut in space was during Soyuz 16 in November 1974.
Learn the whole story in upcoming podcast !
(Photo: RKA/TASS) #MoonwatchUniverse
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1973_RUSSIA_OMEGA_Speedmaster.jpg
 
arturo7
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That is some magnificent hair!

You could probably land a capsule on it.
 
SpeedyPhill
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MoonwatchUniverse has been celebrating " 75 years " Yema !
MoonwatchUniverse fête les " 75 ans " de Yema !
 
SpeedyPhill
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60 years ago... Voskhod "Sunrise"
September 1963, Russian cosmonauts Komarov, Feoktistov and Yegorov started training for the first 3-men spaceflight. Voskhod was the first multi-man spacecraft but was basically a cleaned up follow-on of the Vostok capsule.
On their wrists, the 1st Moscow Factory Strela "Arrow" chronograph, a 36 mm military issue Air Force watch aka "Soviet equivalent of the Speedmaster" chronograph. Made between 1959 and 1964. The first Voskhod flight took place in October 1964.
Between 1964 and 1977, the Strela was worn on a dozen spaceflight missions, among which the historic Voskhod-2 during which Alexei Leonov carried out the first spacewalk!
In 1973, Alexei Leonov, Valeri Kubasov and Boris Yegorov were among the first cosmonauts to wear the Omega flightmaster in training !
(Photo: MoonwatchUniverse/TASS)
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Russia-Strela.jpg upload_2023-9-15_12-11-48.jpeg
 
SpeedyPhill
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September 2023, Soyuz MS-24 on the launchpad
Again those large shiny " Goldy " wristwatches we first spotted on Soyuz MS-21 in March 2022 1f914.png
(Photo: Roskosmos)
upload_2023-9-16_0-53-35.jpeg
 
upload_2023-9-16_0-53-35.jpeg
TLIGuy
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
September 2023, Soyuz MS-24 on the launchpad
Again those large shiny " Goldy " wristwatches we first spotted on Soyuz MS-21 in March 2022 1f914.png
(Photo: Roskosmos)
upload_2023-9-16_0-53-35.jpeg

All right, at least give me credit for finding the best pictures possible of the watches first seen on MS-21 and now MS-24.

I have no idea what they are. Hopefully someone with better knowledge than me will chime in to identify the watch shortly.

Here you go....

All CREDIT - NASA

NHQ202309150002~large.jpg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.36.45 PM.jpeg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.37.14 PM.jpeg


While we're at Loral O'Hara also wears this watch tucked under her undergarment. Any thoughts on this one peeking out?

Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.51.27 PM.jpeg
 
Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.36.45 PM.jpeg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.37.14 PM.jpeg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.51.27 PM.jpeg NHQ202309150002~large.jpg
DoctorEvil
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TLIGuy TLIGuy
All right, at least give me credit for finding the best pictures possible of the watches first seen on MS-21 and now MS-24.

I have no idea what they are. Hopefully someone with better knowledge than me will chime in to identify the watch shortly.

Here you go....

All CREDIT - NASA

NHQ202309150002~large.jpg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.36.45 PM.jpeg Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.37.14 PM.jpeg


While we're at Loral O'Hara also wears this watch tucked under her undergarment. Any thoughts on this one peeking out?

Screenshot 2023-09-15 at 10.51.27 PM.jpeg
Bottom most photo looks like a Rolex Yachtmaster.
 
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