Helen Sharman's Spaceflown Union Flag
Helen Sharman's Spaceflown Union Flag
This Union Jack flag was flown by Helen Sharman to the Mir space station in 1991. It was signed by the rest of the crew that flew with Helen, Anatoly Artsebarsky and Sergei Krikalev. It was also stamped with the Mir space station stamp. The signatures and stamps have faded significantly since their return to Earth.This is the first British flag flown into space by a British person. Helen was selected ahead of over 12,000 other candidates to become Britain's first space traveller as part of the Anglo-Soviet Juno mission in 1991. Helen had responded to an advert seeking an astronaut, ‘no experience necessary.’ Her successful application led to her training at the Soviet Union’s cosmonaut training facility at Star City for her mission, before launching into space on 18 May 1991.
Flags have been flown on many missions throughout space history, as mementos. They are often used to mark significant moments in exploration, such as the first British astronaut.
More information
Object number
L2001-38
Location
Into Space Gallery
Has this object been into space?
Yes
Dimension - Dimension, Value, Measurement unit
Depth: 0.1 cm
Height: 10cm
Width: 50cm
Material
Textile
Ink
Object Production Date
Circa 1991
Credit Line
On loan from Dr Helen Sharman CMG OBE FRSC
On Display Status
On display
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