Sleeve Cap, Sokol KV-2, Thagard

This sleeve cap belongs to the spacesuit that NASA astronaut Norman Thagard wore during the launch to the space station Mir on board Soyuz TM-21 on March 14, 1995 enroute to the Mir Space station as a member of the Mir 18 Mission (3/14/95-7/7/95). Dr. Thagard was the first American to participate in a joint Russian-American human flight mission since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. He is also the first (and to date only) American to launch on board a Soyuz spacecraft.

The cap is part of the Sokol KV-2 (Falcon) pressure suit. Astronauts use the cap to close the spacesuit while it is in storage during their stay on board a space station. The cap prevents dust and other materials from entering the suit while in storage, while a small hole in its center prevents the condensation of moisture inside the suit.

Transferred from NASA to the Museum in 1996.