These protective socks are designed to be worn in zero-gravity conditions on space stations, and help protect cosmonauts against discomfort and even serious injuries. In zero-gravity conditions the upper part of the foot (the metatarsal and tarsal bones), the front of the ankle and the lower part of the shin bone (tibia) all require special care. The problem is that because of the lack of gravity the cosmonaut is always having to anchor his body in one position in some way. And very often the only way to do this is to hold on to a metal girder or other fixture in the space station using the outer part of his foot. Very often this results in blows and injury to this part of the body.

To avoid injuries and minimize the discomfort caused by using the foot in this way, these socks have a layer of padding covering the whole upper part of the foot, ankle and the lower part of the tibia (ankle bone), providing full protection to this area. This protective padding is made mainly of plush fabric — the binder thread is a composite elastic yarn and the padding material is spun cotton or other yarn made from natural or synthetic fibers.

To protect the outer surface of the foot from serious mechanical injury the upper part of the instep and toe area of the sock are further reinforced with an area of raised polymer dots, of specified dimensions. To protect the outer surface of the foot, and, to a lesser extent, the lower calf and ankle, the sock also has a layer of raised silicone dots. This covering is applied using thermal transfer printing technology — which is normally used to affix an anti-slip layer to the soles of stockings and socks. The addition of a layer of raised polymer dots to the outer surface of the foot eliminates any discomfort and risk of injury to this area, and significantly enhances the functionality of these socks.

These socks were given to the museum by the manufacturer, Alsu, Almetyev Stocking and Stock Factory, in 2018.