Mikhail Ivanovich Lisun

Above: two signed covers (inscribed) and a signed photo from Mikhail Lisun, an early soviet unflown cosmonaut.

Mikhail Lisun was selected to join the cosmonaut team as an engineer in October 1965. He was an electro-technical engineer by profession, and was awarded a Candidate of Technical Sciences degree in 1971. His first assignment was as flight-engineer on the 3rd back-up crew for Soyuz 21, and then as 2nd back-up crew for Soyuz 23 and back-up to Yuri Glazkov on Soyuz 24. He was only identified as a cosmonaut in late 1980's and was involved in the ground testing of module Kvant 2. He left the cosmonaut team in October 1989, and latter said "Due to an increasing series of circumstancies, I never made it into space. I have experienced space technology under Earthly circumstancies, in various environments, and under conditions of short periods of weightlessness. I have also been a flight director during missions in the Intercosmos programme."

Graduated from Military Engineering School in Moscow with an electronical engineering degree, 1956; Colonel, Soviet Air Force Res.; leader of shift in the satellite control facility of Soviet Ministry of Defense; was selected as cosmonaut on 23.10.1965 (TsPK-3); OKP (cosmonaut basic training): 11/65 - 12/67; was assigned as double for Soyuz 23 and Soyuz 24; later Deputy Director of Moscow Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics (Korolyov-Museum).