Veteran cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko's flown Omega Speedmaster Professional wristwatch, serial number 77740814, used on the International Space Station during Expedition 27/28 in 2011. The iconic timepiece is a black-faced, stainless steel chronograph, manual wind wristwatch with a Hesalite crystal, solid case back, anti-vibration and anti-magnetic dust cover, black tachymeter bezel and sub-dials, without date or day complications, powered by a caliber 1861-based movement. Engraved on the case back is "Flight-Qualified by NASA For All Manned Space Missions / The First Watch Worn on the Moon." The watch is on a black Velcro wristband, which was also flown on the mission, and includes its original metal bracelet. Also includes the original Omega red leather box, operating manual, warranty card, and white cardboard box, which has an “Andrey Borisenko” label affixed on the cover. In overall fine condition.
Accompanied by a color 8 x 10 photo of Borisenko and by a letter of authenticity, both of which are signed by Borisenko. The letter reads: “I hereby certify that the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph Serial Number # 77740814 flew with me to the International Space Station as part of ISS Exp 27/28 in 2011. On 4 April 2011, I launched to the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-21 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and arrived at the ISS approximately shortly after liftoff, 4 April 2011. TMA-21 was the 100th launch of the Soyuz Spacecraft dating back to 1967. I became a member of EXP 27 until 22 May 2011 when, after EXP 27, I became the Commander of EXP 28. I remained aboard the ISS until 16 September 2011 and returned to Earth later on that day after a total of 164 days in Space and my 1st mission to the ISS…
This watch flew a total of approximately 2,624 orbits during 164 days in Space and traveled approximately more than 65 million miles during my spaceflight. I wore this Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph during my flight and has been part of my personal collection since I returned to Earth after the Expedition 28 mission to the ISS. This watch is one of the rare artifacts to journey into Space and used on the International Space Station.”
Commonly known as the 'Moon Watch,' the Omega Speedmaster Pro underwent exhaustive testing by NASA during the 1960s—assorted wristwatches were exposed to environmental conditions ranging from 0 to 200 °F, tested under 95% humidity for ten-day periods, endured bursts of high acceleration and shock forces, and experienced severe air pressure and vibration trials. After three years of extreme testing, the evaluation concluded in March 1965 with the selection of the Speedmaster, which survived the tests while staying accurate within five seconds per day. Most often associated with the Apollo program, the Omega Speedmaster has become one of the most iconic timepieces ever created.
Cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko wore this watch as the commander of Expedition 28. He and crewmates Aleksandr Samokutyayev and Ronald Garan launched aboard Soyuz TMA-21 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 4, 2011, a liftoff dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin in 1961. Expedition 28 also coincided with STS-135, the 135th and final mission of the American Space Shuttle program, which docked with the ISS on July 10, 2011, to deliver the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Raffaello and a Lightweight Multi-Purpose Carrier (LMC). Although the 'Space Race' was born out of competition between Russia and America, the International Space Station represents a new era of cooperation between former enemies. Swiss-made, American-proved, and Russian-worn, this watch represents a pinnacle in space collecting.
