Cosmonaut Yuri Usachov's flown pair of matching Orlan EVA space suit gloves flown to the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-23 and used during Mir EO-21, featuring an insulated nylon canvas outer surface and inner pressure glove with pebbled orange rubber palms and green fingertips, both serial numbered on the wrist beginning [Cyrillic characters approximated], "RN-8K-11-1130177." They both have Velcro-close flaps over the knuckles, annotated in felt tip with 'crib notes' affiliated with EVA activities—and inner metal rings for secure connection to the main suit. The left glove flap features a circular sketch indicating light and shadow at the time of a spacewalk, and the right glove features a green sketch with arrows denoting the route of passage along the surface of the station near the zone where work was to be done. Both flaps also bear in-flight Mir ink stamps. Inside the flaps, Usachov has made further annotations related to light/shadow and times for contact with the Flight Control Center. In overall very good to fine condition, with wear from use and some 'pebbles' lost from the orange palm grips.
Accompanied by a hardcover, Russian-language edition of Yuri Usachov's book, Diary of a Cosmonaut: Three Lives in Space, signed and inscribed on the first free end page by the cosmonaut, "Aleksandr! Wishing you good luck and invite you to fly. From the author, Yuri Usachov." In the book, Usachov discusses marking up these gloves in preparation for his EVA (translated): "Everything is prepared—including the 'arrow,' the instrument, and the spacesuits. Everything seems to be OK, but again and again we are flying into the SSR, checking the bundles of 'arrows,' the state of spacesuits and the Gateway compartment for reliability. Today, Sasha Sergatskov is the Main Communications Operator, had suggested a 6:00 PM communication session via Sputnik—but the repeater did not go out, wanting to give us a little more sleep before going out. Intensive work on the preparation of the complex communication facilities will begin in 22 hours…I wrote on gloves the times of connection and shadow—may be useful if there are problems with communication with the FCC (Flight Control Center). No fear. The case, of course, is risky, but there is no fear. I have not done everything in this life yet, I still have many unanswered questions, I still have much to do for the two people closest to me, so I'll be cautious at the exit and try to help Yury as much as possible. Perhaps tomorrow, I will have a slightly different look at this problem, and it will not seem so serious, and this reasoning will seem a little ridiculous, but it will be tomorrow, and today let me be a little ridiculous and naive than a stupid, cheerful. Tomorrow, I will definitely tell you what it's like to go into outer space for us, the 'Scythians'—the crew of the 21st main expedition at the MIR station."
Soyuz TM-23 was launched on February 21, 1996, to Space Station Mir with cosmonauts Yuri Onufrienko and Yuri Usachov. The crew of Soyuz TM-23 became the 21st resident crew of Mir Station. One month later, cosmonauts Usachov and Onufriyenko were joined by NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid. During Mir-21 Usachov performed numerous research experiments. The new module Priroda, the seventh and final module of the Mir Space Station arrived on April 26, 1996. Its primary purpose was to conduct Earth resource experiments through remote sensing and to develop and verify remote sensing methods. During Mir EO-21 supplies arrived with the Progress M-31 spacecraft. Usachov and Onufriyenko were joined by French astronaut Claudie Andre-Deshays after the departure of Shannon Lucid. On September 2, 1996, Usachov, Yuri Onufriyenko and Claudie André-Deshays returned to Earth on board the Soyuz TM-23 capsule. On board Soyuz TM-23 and Mir, cosmonaut Yuri Usachov spent 193 days in space.
