Details:

Rare STS-42 crew autographed commemorative cover signed by the original announced mission crew: Ronald J. Grabe, Stephen S. Oswald, William F. Readdy, Manley L. “Sonny” Carter Jr., Ulf Merbold, and Roberta L. Bondar. The cover does not include the signature of Norman E. Thagard and represents the earlier crew configuration prior to Carter’s death and his replacement by David C. Hilmers on the flown mission.

Fine condition.

STS-42 launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on January 22, 1992, and carried the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a major international scientific mission dedicated to life sciences and microgravity research. The mission was originally assigned to astronaut and physician Manley L. “Sonny” Carter Jr., who tragically died in a commercial aircraft crash in April 1991 before the flight took place. Carter was subsequently replaced by astronaut David Hilmers for the actual mission. As such, covers signed by the original pre-flight crew configuration are notably scarcer and represent a unique transitional piece of Shuttle history. The mission itself conducted dozens of international experiments involving human physiology, biology, and materials science, contributing valuable research toward long-duration spaceflight.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11519 1415435-1