NEW YORK (AP).- A Russian spacesuit worn during the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project skyrocketed to $242,000 at a New York City auction.

Bonhams had estimated it at $100,000 to $150,000. The auction house didn't disclose the buyer of the Sokol K pressure suit.

The Apollo-Soyuz marked the first multinational manned spaceflight. Soyuz commander Alexei Leonov wore the white nylon canvas suit during docking, launch and re-entry.

Another highlight of the Thursday sale was a brass neck tag worn by HAM, the first chimpanzee launched into outer space during the American space program.

HAM wore the No. 65 tag aboard the Mercury-Redstone in 1961. It sold for $12,200, surpassing its pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$3,000.

The auction was held on the 50th anniversary of the first American in space, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard.


Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.