Alexei Leonov, the first man to conduct a space walk in 1965, attends a photo exhibition, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic first flight into space, at Federation Council of Russia headquarters in Moscow, April 5. – Reuters File Photo

NEW YORK: A Russian space suit 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 Apollo-Soyuz marked the first international manned spaceflight.

Soyuz commander Alexei Leonov wore the white nylon canvas suit during docking, the launch and re-entry.

The auction house didn't disclose the buyer of the Sokol K pressure suit.

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.