This Russian flag patch is from Dennis Tito's Sokol ("Falcon") space suit. The California businessman became the first tourist in space on April 28, 2001. After months of training and preparations in Moscow and at the Cosmonaut Flight Training Center in Star City, Russia, Tito was launched on board the Soyuz TM-32 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan and spent six days on board the International Space Station (ISS). He paid the Russians a reported $20 million for this adventure.
The space suit manufacturer sewed this patch on the Sokol KV-2 (Falcon) pressure suit for Tito's mission. When he returned to Earth after his mission, all patches were removed from his space suit and he received them as souvenirs. Mr. Tito obtained the space suit under a separate transaction. The patch depicts the Russian flag and typically decorates the spacesuits of all Russian cosmonauts and their guests on board the space station. It has a yellow embroidered border with single yellow band on top. The Russian word for Russia is written out in black letters. Below the writing are the white, blue, and red bands of the Russian flag. Mr. Tito donated the patches along with his spacesuit and gloves to the Museum.
This Russian flag patch is from Dennis Tito's Sokol ("Falcon") space suit. The California businessman became the first tourist in space on April 28, 2001. After months of training and preparations in Moscow and at the Cosmonaut Flight Training Center in Star City, Russia, Tito was launched on board the Soyuz TM-32 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan and spent six days on board the International Space Station (ISS). He paid the Russians a reported $20 million for this adventure.
The space suit manufacturer sewed this patch on the Sokol KV-2 (Falcon) pressure suit for Tito's mission. When he returned to Earth after his mission, all patches were removed from his space suit and he received them as souvenirs. Mr. Tito obtained the space suit under a separate transaction. The patch depicts the Russian flag and typically decorates the spacesuits of all Russian cosmonauts and their guests on board the space station. It has a yellow embroidered border with single yellow band on top. The Russian word for Russia is written out in black letters. Below the writing are the white, blue, and red bands of the Russian flag. Mr. Tito donated the patches along with his spacesuit and gloves to the Museum.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.