[Technical testing of the strength of joints of the space suit "Krechet."] 1968. In Russian. 11 carbon copy pages recto only, 4to. 6 black and white photographs pasted in, each approximately 5 x 4 inches. 6 engineers' signatures including that of Guy Severin, Head of Zvezda, some ink annotations. Stapled into dull green wrappers.

An intriguing document from the long-concealed Soviet manned lunar program. During the 1960s, the Soviet authorities were gearing up for putting a man on the moon. A lunar lander had been built, and Zvezda was asked to design a spacesuit suitable for moonwalks. They came up with the idea of a rigid suit with a back opening that the cosmonaut would step into. The suit was named "Krechet" ("Gyrfalcon"), in the great Soviet tradition of bird-named spacesuits.
Unfortunately joints, particularly at the shoulders, were a problem. Special pressure bearings were eventually developed, and the problem was solved. The present pamphlet deals with knee joints and the straps and webbing used there.