Original 1986 Soviet Anti-SDI Space Poster – Ban the Militarization of Space! – S. Mosienko & A. Tairov – 27 × 45 cm / 10.6 × 17.7 in

An original 1986 Soviet anti-SDI poster by S. Mosienko and A. Tairov, Ban the Militarization of Space! turns the promise of the space age into a warning about its possible future. The slogan, «ЗАПРЕТИТЬ МИЛИТАРИЗАЦИЮ КОСМОСА!», calls directly for a ban on the militarisation of outer space. Produced during the early perestroika period, the poster belongs to the late-Cold War campaign against the American Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Announced by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and widely nicknamed “Star Wars”, SDI was a research programme exploring ground- and space-based systems to intercept incoming ballistic missiles.

The central missile, marked “US ARMY” and set beside a launch tower, gives the argument a stark architectural silhouette. Bronze-brown tones stand against a sky that moves from deep black into pale grey, while white lettering and a yellow emblem sharpen the contrast. Below, imagery associated with civilian spaceflight, including a Space Shuttle launch silhouette, places exploration alongside the threat of military escalation. Mosienko and Tairov use that contrast to ask what the cosmos should become: a field for international cooperation or another arena of confrontation.

The lower explanatory panel invokes the United Nations and a vote by 151 member states in support of peaceful cooperation in space, according to the supplied description of its text. Together with the peace emblem, it frames the appeal as an international cause rather than an exclusively Soviet concern. The poster records how Soviet visual propaganda presented the SDI debate, combining technological imagery with a direct political demand. Its compact 27 × 45 cm sheet preserves both the force of the headline and the more detailed argument beneath it.

Authenticity

Original vintage Soviet poster from 1986, not a modern reprint.

Artists: S. Mosienko & A. Tairov (С. Мосиенко, А. Таиров)
Slogan: «ЗАПРЕТИТЬ МИЛИТАРИЗАЦИЮ КОСМОСА!»
Translation: “Ban the Militarization of Space!”
Year: 1986
Approved for print: 5 September 1986
Publisher: Plakat Publishing House, Moscow (Издательство «Плакат»)
Origin: USSR
Size: 27 × 45 cm / 10.6 × 17.7 in (width × height)
Medium: Offset lithograph on paper
Print run: 321,998 copies
Printed production format: 60 × 90 1/4, distinct from the sheet dimensions above

Condition

Very good original vintage condition. The inks retain strong visual clarity, with deep blacks, sharp white lettering and clear contrast throughout. The paper surface remains smooth and clean.

An original horizontal centre fold is present, consistent with storage and distribution, together with light, soft handling creases across the sheet. The outer white borders are clean and the corners intact. The reverse is clean white paper, with no tape residue or major staining noted in the supplied condition report.

Please review the photographs for the individual characteristics of this vintage sheet. What you see is what you receive.

Shipping & Packaging

Dispatched within 1–3 business days from our studio. The poster is rolled in acid-free tissue paper and packed in a heavy-duty reinforced mailing tube, with tracking provided.

Standard delivery: BH Pošta registered post, estimated at 1–4 weeks.
Express delivery: DHL Express, estimated at 2–5 business days.

Framing

Professional custom framing available upon request. Contact us before checkout.