RFSA Soyuz-U2 Soyuz TM-21

Soyuz-U2

Status

Success

Date

14 MAR 1995

06:11

Launch Provider

Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Launch Pad

1/5

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Mission Overview

Soyuz TM-21 was the 21st mission and the 18th long-duration expedition to Mir space station. It was also a part of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program. The mission began on March 14, 1995, 06:11:34 UTC, launching Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Flight Engineer Gennady Strekalov and Research Cosmonaut Norman Thagard (who became the first American to ride the Soyuz) into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed several EVAs to prepare for the docking of the new Spektr module. Station crew was visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, and welcomed aboard the STS-71 with the 19th expedition crew. Crews exchanged vehicles, and members of the 18th expedition returned aboard STS-71, landing safely back on Earth on 7 July 1995, 14:55:28 UTC. Soyuz TM-21 brought back the 19th expedition later on September 11, 1995, 06:52:40 UTC.

Rocket

Soyuz-U2

Mission Type

Human Exploration

Orbit

Low Earth Orbit

Stages

Livestream

Not available

Rocket Details

The Soyuz-U2 was a Soviet, later Russian, carrier rocket. It was derived from the Soyuz-U, and a member of the R-7 family of rockets. It featured increased performance compared with the baseline Soyuz-U, due to the use of syntin propellant, as opposed to RP-1 paraffin, used on the Soyuz-U.

Height

34.54 m

Diameter

2.95 m

Launch Mass

298 T