Soyuz TM-20

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Mission emblem
Mission emblem
Mission dates
Mission: Soyuz TM-20
COSPAR-ID : 1994-063A
Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-ST ( GRAY index  11F732)
serial number 69
Dimensions: 7150 kg
Launcher: Soyuz U2 (GRAY index 11A511U2)
Call sign: Ви́тязь (Vitjas - " knight ")
Crew: 3
Begin: October 3, 1994, 22:42:30  UTC
Starting place: Baikonur 1/5
Space station: Me
Coupling: October 6, 1994, 12:28:15 AM UTC
Decoupling: March 22, 1995, 12:43:08 AM UTC
Landing: March 22, 1995, 04:04:05 UTC
Landing place: 54 km of NO Arkalik
50 ° 31 '  N , 67 ° 21'  O
Flight duration: 169d 5h 21min 35s
Earth orbits: 2760
Rotation time : 88.7 min
Apogee : 250 km
Perigee : 200 km
◄ Before / After ►
Soyuz TM-19
(manned) 		Soyuz TM-21
(manned)

Soyuz TM-20 is the mission name for the flight of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the Russian Mir space station . It was the 20th visit by a Soyuz spacecraft to the Mir space station and the 96th flight in the Russian Soyuz program.

crew

Starting crew

Substitute team

Return team

Mission overview

Recorded to me by STS-63

Ten kilograms were taken for Ulf Merbold's one-month Euromir 94 expedition. During the automatic approach maneuver to the front stub of the Mir, the spaceship went into a tailspin. The commander Alexander Viktorenko then docked the spaceship manually. Therefore, on January 11, 1995, the team Viktorenko / Kondakowa / Poljakow carried out a test separation with reconnection through the automatic course approach system (disconnection 8.59 GMT, connection at the same place 9.27 GMT).

During the flight time of the regular crew, the supply spaceships Progress M-25 (launch November 11, 1994) and Progress M-26 (launch February 15, 1995) were received. On February 6, 1995 (19:23 GMT) an approach of the US ferry Discovery ( STS-63 ) was tested to within 11.3 m.

The scientific focus of the flight program was medical tests. The adaptation to weightlessness, muscle wasting and weight loss as well as the change in the internal clock were examined. In addition, the focus was also on radiation exposure in Earth orbit. In order to be able to assess the general state of health, Ulf Merbold took blood, urine and tissue samples every day. For the first time, video conferences were held on board the Russian space station. On October 19th, Ulf Merbold held a lesson in which he answered questions from children.

In the course of the mission, there were several energy bottlenecks, so that the investigation program had to be changed. On one occasion, extensive experimentation even led to a large discharge of the batteries on the station, which led to a critical situation. The five planned material science experiments, which could therefore no longer be carried out, were also energy-intensive. During the mission, the European scientists were largely able to monitor their automated experiments themselves.

Valery Polyakov returned with Soyuz TM-20 after 437 days 17 hours and 31 seconds in space. This represented a new long-term record. Jelena Kondakowa also set a long-term flight record for women with 169 days, 5 hours and 35 seconds. Ulf Merbold returned to earth with Mussabajew and Malenchenko on the Soyuz TM-19 spaceship .

See also

Web links