Posted on Jul 17, 2025
Superpowers meet in space | July 17, 1975 | HISTORY
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As part of a mission aimed at developing space rescue capability, the U.S. spacecraft Apollo 18 and the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 19 rendezvous and dock in space. As the hatch was opened between the two vessels, commanders Thomas P. Stafford and Aleksei Leonov shook hands and exchanged gifts in celebration of the first such meeting between the two Cold War adversaries in space. Back on Earth, United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim congratulated the two superpowers for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and praised their unprecedented spirit of cooperation and peace in planning and executing the mission.
Superpowers meet in space | July 17, 1975 | HISTORY
Posted from history.com
Space
United States
Cold War
Posted 5 mo ago
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Tom Stafford stayed lifelong friends with Aleksei; to the point that Tom was invited to Aleksei's funeral in Russia when he passed years ago. Tom was the only American invited, and he delivered the eulogy entirely in Russian.
Tom was the type of guy whose street credit was such that if he wanted to be buried in Arlington that absolutely would've happened. And yet, despite all that was named in his honor, he said that what made him the happiest was a new elementary school being named after him.
I actually was part of the group that played at Tom's funeral and internment more than a year ago.
At the Stafford Air&Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma, in addition to the artifacts there that Tom used in his heyday there is also a MiG-21 there as that was the plane Aleksei flew as a fighter pilot. If you're ever in the area I highly, highly recommend checking out that museum.
Tom was the type of guy whose street credit was such that if he wanted to be buried in Arlington that absolutely would've happened. And yet, despite all that was named in his honor, he said that what made him the happiest was a new elementary school being named after him.
I actually was part of the group that played at Tom's funeral and internment more than a year ago.
At the Stafford Air&Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma, in addition to the artifacts there that Tom used in his heyday there is also a MiG-21 there as that was the plane Aleksei flew as a fighter pilot. If you're ever in the area I highly, highly recommend checking out that museum.
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I can remember the elementary school had everyone assembled in the cafeteria to watch -- didn't have any ideas about a Cold War, just space ships were cool.
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