Space Flight Europe-America 500
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Space Flight Europe-America 500 was a goodwill mission conceived in 1992 as the first
The idea of a space launch to be carried out in the
The effort was pulled off by the private sector, with the support of the governments from both countries. Money for the launch was raised from a collection of Russian companies who paid the military for the hardware.[citation needed]
Bob Walsh, an entrepreneur and humanitarian who helped bring the Goodwill Games to Seattle, heard of the plan while visiting Moscow in 1991 and agreed to sponsor it in the U.S. He worked with U.S. authorities to clear the way for the capsule recovery and delivery to Seattle, which had been a closed city to Russian ships since World War Two.[2]
On November 16, 1992, at 0:52 a.m. MSK, a Soyuz rocket fired an 8-foot-diameter (2.4 m), 5,152-pound spherical Resurs-500 capsule similar to the one flown by Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, from Russia's once-secret Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
The satellite orbited the Earth for seven days before parachuting into the Pacific Ocean about 120 miles off Grays Harbor on the Washington state coast on November 22 at 10:32 a.m. PST. The space capsule was scooped up and brought to Seattle by a 680-foot Russian missile-tracking ship Marshal Krylov.
The ship docked at 9 a.m. on November 24 at Pier 42 of the
Inside the capsule were 19 neon-orange containers with gifts, souvenirs, business products, artwork, religious icons, messages of peace also few hundred of bills of 1 rouble, the last one from the Soviet Union. Among other things, there were Russian Orthodox Church icons for the Saint Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral; Digswell the Space Dog, a stuffed toy based on a British cartoon character, a crystal sculpture of the Statue of Liberty; peace messages from the Dalai Lama, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and leaders of European nations; a Christmas present for President Bill Clinton; and samples of Russian products. Also, there were two wedding rings from a Russian couple who got married at St. Spiridon Cathedral, after retrieving their rings from the capsule.[citation needed]
The space capsule was towed in the Bon Marche holiday parade and was set on display at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, where it has been residing ever since.
In the course of the event, a Russian-American Business Opportunity Conference was held at the Seattle Sheraton, and art and photo exhibits were on display. On
Entrepreneur exchange program
The flight helped start important social development initiatives, including a Russian-American
While all citizens of the Russian Federation, irrespective of specialty, occupation, or employment status, who were up to 40 years old, were eligible to apply to an open competition to be selected, unemployed people and women had been given priority. During the course of the program, over 10,000 young people had been sent for 4-6-week
References
- ^ Seattle times, November 22, 1992
- ISBN 1-883697-67-0---pages 346-351 Seattle Times, November 22, 1992
Sources
- Space - Rocketing Toward Peace, The Seattle Times, November 2, 1992
- State To Welcome Russia Missile, The Seattle Times, November 14, 1992
- From Russia, With Love: 'Peace Rocket' Heads to U.S., Los Angeles Times, November 16, 1992
- Russian goods rocket into America, NewScientist, November 21, 1992
- Russian Capsule Strictly Business, The Seattle Times, November 22, 1992
- Seattle Greets A New Order -- Soviet Capsule, Visitors Symbolize Good Will, The Seattle Times, November 23, 1992
- From Russia, With Ambition -- Seattle-Bound Russian Ship Hauls In Capsule, The Seattle Times, November 23, 1992
- 'Friendship Rocket' From Russia Lands, Los Angeles Times, November 23, 1992
- Russian Ship Bears Cargo Of Good Will -- Vessel Docks Here To Open Peace Visit -- Crew To Present City With Gift-Laden Missile, The Seattle Times, November 24, 1992
- Jello And Other Strange American Customs -- Russians Savor First Thanksgiving, The Seattle Times, November 27, 1992
- From Russia With Love - Via Space -- Men Of The Sea, On Solid Ground, Open Capsule From Air, The Seattle Times, November 29, 1992
- Tip-to-Tail Tour: Resurs 500 , The Museum of Flight, February 17, 2008