July 2025 Marks The 50th Anniversary Of The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission
It has been exactly 50 years since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission occurred. The goal was to see whether the Apollo and Soyuz systems could connect (dock) in space and to investigate whether rescue operations could be performed together. The launch occurred on July 15th, 1975, and the docking happened on July 17th.
Stafford and Leonov during their encounter in space in 1975 — Image: NASA
ASTP Mission
Alexei Leonov and Valery Kubasov were on board the Soyuz 7K-TM spacecraft, and Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand, and Deke Slayton manned the Apollo CSM-111. NASA equipped its astronauts with the Speedmaster refs. 105.012 (Slayton) and 145.012 (Stafford and Brand) housing caliber 321, while the cosmonauts were wearing the then-current Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022 with caliber 861.
Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022, as used by the cosmonauts
A fun fact from our friend Phil of Moon Watch Universe is that, before the mission, there was a press conference in February 1975, where the commanders from both parties wore Omega watches as well. Leonov wore his Omega Flightmaster, while Stafford wore his gold Speedmaster Apollo 11 “Tribute to Astronauts” (no. 13 of 1,014). In 1985, Stafford’s watch went missing at Dallas airport. Omega replaced it for him with the Speedmaster Professional BA345.0802, which debuted in 1980.
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford’s Speedmaster Professional BA345.0802
I was fortunate to meet both Stafford and Leonov in Sochi in early 2014. While the cosmonaut was wearing a gold Constellation, Stafford was wearing the gold Speedmaster with his name engraved on the case band.
Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz (1976) — Image: Fortuna
500 Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz watches in 1976
As you may know, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz in 1976. In 2016, I extensively covered this model on Fratello for a Speedy Tuesday feature. For a long time, it was thought that 400 pieces were made of this first limited-edition Speedmaster in 1976. By 2022, though, Omega could confirm that it produced 500 pieces for the Italian Omega distributor De Marchi. You can find an article dedicated to this Speedmaster 145.022 Apollo-Soyuz here.
Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary edition (2010)
Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary edition in 2010
I met Stafford in 2015 in Houston, Texas, and there, I noticed he was wearing the Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary watch (ref. 311.30.42.30.99.001). Omega fitted the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with a meteorite dial for that occasion and introduced it in 2010. When I asked about the watch, Stafford replied that he picked it because it has something from space on the dial.
Jim Lovell and Tom Stafford in 2015
Omega limited this model to 1,975 pieces to commemorate the year of the ASTP mission, and it retailed for just over €6K. It was before the demand for Speedmasters went up, and I remember that this model was widely available for several years after its introduction. The price went up to nearly €7K at some point, but it was nowhere near today’s prices. I most certainly regret not having bought this watch.
You can find an article dedicated to this Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary edition here.
My X-33 next to Stafford’s gold Speedmaster, photographed in 2014 during our encounter in Sochi
Within the last six years, both Stafford (1930–2024) and Leonov (1934–2019) passed away. Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford also helped Omega develop the Speedmaster X-33 watches in the 1990s. In fact, after his NASA career, he became chairman of the board of Omega in America.
