TODAY IN HISTORY  – On July 17, 1975, during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, an American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked with each other in Earth orbit. It was the first link-up in space between two nations. Alexey Leonov, the cosmonaut who commanded the Soviet crew, created this work before the mission: “The original painting, which measures 80 centimeters by 160 centimeters (1 cm. = 0.39 in.), is on display in a museum in the city of Baku on the Caspian Sea. In making the sketch for the painting Leonov used a model of an earlier Soyuz spacecraft and a picture of an Apollo spacecraft. Later, he obtained a model of an Apollo which helped him check the configuration of the American spacecraft. The tanks on the Docking Module are no longer exposed on the current DM configuration, he noted. Also, this would not be an exact view of the sun as seen from Earth orbit. Leonov took artist license in stressing the symbolism in his artwork. The Soyuz is represented smaller in the painting than it actually is, Leonov added.”

(NASA)

Rocket train.

(NASA)

“Handshake in Space” by Robert McCall, 1974. (NASA)