Apollo-Soyuz 50th Anniversary

This one is near and dear to my heart.

In June 1973 I wrote my first letter to a crew asking if I might design their patch. It was to General Tom Stafford the U.S. CDR of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. General Stafford responded in a letter dated June 20th. He thanked me for my interest but that the patch had to be a decision by both crews and that the Soviet Commander was an accomplished artist.

Almost immediately after sending my initial request I decided that if they were going to consider me, I should have sent some art. My second letter crossed with his first and on June 27th, I received his second reply. General Stafford was always kind and graciously encouraged me.  

Needless to say I didn't get the assignment but over the years I maintained contact with the General and gifted him with some of my commemoratives. He put them on display in his museum.

In the summer of 2022, General Stafford and I collaborated on a special ASTP 50th patch for his museum. The plan was for his museum to offer them for sale to their guests. It remains to be seen if the museum will follow up on this now that General Stafford has passed. That art remains in my files.

But it was this effort that led me to update the original art I sent him in 1973 and make this a 50th Anniversary "Spirit Commemorative." You'll notice that the overall design is the same with obvious improvements to the art work. The two hands are dressed in their on orbit uniforms. General Stafford shared an image of them in his museum. The two spacecraft are depicted about to dock. 

 -Tim Gagnon

It is the realization of a 50 year old dream.