This shirt is part of Aleksei Leonov's general's uniform that he wore while in service to the Soviet cosmonaut corps. Leonov became famous in March 1965, when he opened the hatch to his Voskhod 2 spacecraft while it was orbiting the Earth, climbed out, and performed the world's first walk in space.
After his 1965 flight, Leonov became an ambassador for spaceflight and traveled throughout the world to tell his story about his historic mission. Unlike the American astronauts, the Soviet cosmonauts retained their military rank and status while they served in the cosmonaut corps. Even the lone woman in the corps, Valentina Tereshkova, obtained a military rank during the course of her service. Among the early cosmonauts of the 1960s, only one, Konstantin Feoktistov, did not receive a military commission. For those reasons, Leonov's military uniform is a symbol of the close relationship that the Soviet space program had with the Ministry of Defense.
Aleksei Leonov donated this uniform to the National Air and Space Museum in 1993.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Type
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Uniforms: Military
Astronaut
Aleksei Arkhipovich Leonov
Manufacturer
Unknown
Dimensions
Clothing: 72.4 x 64.1 x 5.1cm (28 1/2 in. x 25 1/4 in. x 2 in.)
Materials
Wool blend, plastic, nylon, elastic, metal thread, plastic
Inventory Number
A19940080000
Credit Line
Gift of Aleksei Leonov
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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