Description:

SOVIET SOKOL KV-2 RESCUE SUIT
A very scarce Soviet space relic, a custom-made for cosmonaut Vladimir Yevgenyevich Preobrazhenskiy and bearing his initials with one of the gloves. The Sokol KV-2 Falcon crew rescue suit was first worn in the Soyuz T-2 spacecraft on June 5, 1980, and is still worn by space crews today during launch and descent. It was created in1973-1979, and was designed to support a suited astronaut for up to 30 hours in a pressurized cabin and two hours in an unpressurized one. The soft suit was meant to fit tightly in the reclining Zazbek-U seats, and designed to not impede the astronaut during flight in a pressurized cabin and to support the astronaut's life in case of cabin depressurization. It is composed of two layers: the internal layer is a tan colored rubberized material that creates a bladder to keep the suit pressurized, while the off-white external layer is made of a thick flame retardant fabric called "Lavsan" or "Dacron". The suit and helmet are integrated, with only the gloves separate which would be screwed on. The helmet is made of the same Dacron fabric and folds back when the cosmonaut is upright; the attached hinged plastic bubble visor can be worn only when the cosmonaut is seated in a knees-up position. The suit does not contain its own life support system, but is connected to that of the spacecraft via tubing for oxygen, cables for electrical power for transmitting biochemical data and communications, and tubing for water to cool the suit. An external ventilator is attached by another tube and must be carried by the cosmonaut, while a mechanical regulator within keeps the pressure of the suit constant. Thus, it is not a space suit per se, but rather a rescue, survival or pressure suit not capable of being used outside the spacecraft in a spacewalk or extra-vehicular activity. This tightly-fitting suit - which weighs a surprising 20+ pounds - is climbed into feet and legs first via the double-zippered front opening. After entering the suit, the cosmonaut would seal the bladder with a rubber strip. The outer layer was then closed off using nylon string. The wearer would be fitted with biomedical sensors against his/her skin, and a blue knob on the front acts as a pressure regulator. Obviously, this close-fitting suit is not particularly comfortable for the wearer due to its internal wiring and the additional burden of carrying the external ventilator. This example is in very good, previously-worn condition with all fasteners intact. A superb relic for the serious space collector.

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June 3, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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