Soyuz TM-4

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Mission dates
Mission: Soyuz TM-4
COSPAR-ID : 1987-104A
Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-ST ( GRAY index  11F732)
serial number 54
Dimensions: 7070 kg
Launcher: Soyuz U2 (GRAY index 11A511U2)
Call sign: Океан (Okean - " ocean ")
Crew: 3
Begin: December 21, 1987, 11:18:03  UTC
Starting place: Baikonur 1/5
Space station: Me
Coupling: December 23, 1987, 12:51:00 UTC
Decoupling: June 17, 1988, 06:20:50 UTC
Landing: June 17, 1988, 10:12:32 UTC
Landing place: 180 km SE of Djeskasgan
Flight duration: 178d 22h 54m 29s
Earth orbits: ≈ 2890
Rotation time : 91.5 min
Apogee : 357 km
Perigee : 337 km
◄ Before / After ►
Soyuz TM-3
(manned) 		Soyuz TM-5
(manned)

Soyuz TM-4 is the mission name for the flight of a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft to the Soviet Mir space station, which started on December 21, 1987 . It was the fourth visit by a Soyuz spacecraft to the Mir space station and the 80th flight in the Soviet Soyuz program.

crew

Starting crew

Titov had already been scheduled as the commander of Soyuz TM-2 , but could not be used due to the illness of his flight engineer Serebrov , so that he was assigned to the next long-term flight.

Substitute team

Return crew

Mission overview

The third permanent crew of the Mir space station (Titow and Manarow) continued the successful work of their predecessors, while Levchenko returned to Earth after a one-week flight. During this first week of flight, biological experiments with tea plants, guppies and onions were carried out, the adaptation of humans to weightlessness was studied, special movement training was carried out and protein structures were produced for medical use, including a super-pure antivirus preparation. The tasks of the third main crew also included experiments on earth exploration (spectral analyzes of land and sea areas to determine environmental pollution as well as for agricultural purposes, including the international aerocosmic research program Tienschan-Interkosmos 88), meteorology, atmospheric research, space technology, physiology, psychology and medicine . Astronomical research also took up a lot of space. Several series of measurements of electron and positron currents were carried out with the Marija system. Further observations were made of the constellations Leo and Little Bear and the large Magellanic Cloud with the telescope systems of the Kwant module . In the field of materials science, galvanic coatings were primarily studied as corrosion protection. The cultivation of pure semiconductor single crystals was also part of the work program. In addition, maintenance work was carried out on the heat regulation system, the stability of the complex was examined with a vibration experiment, and various telescopes were readjusted and calibrated several times.

Titov and Manarov worked outside the station three times. On February 26th they changed a segment on a solar cell surface (4:25 h). On June 30th, a detector block on the astrophysical module Kwant was supposed to be changed. However, the attempt failed at the first attempt (5:10 h).

The transport spaceships Progress 34 to 37 were unloaded to supply the cosmonauts . Joint research was carried out with the guest crews of the Soyuz TM-5 and Soyuz TM-6 spaceships . A member of the Soyuz TM-6 crew, the doctor Valeri Polyakov , was integrated into the regular crew in August. From then on, medical experiments were intensified. For example, examinations of the blood circulation were carried out, bone and joint changes were studied, blood analyzes were carried out, muscle development was observed, the relationship between stress, diet and weight was researched and electrocardiograms were regularly made. The research program was supplemented by psychological tests as well as studies on remote sensing of the earth, atmospheric research (including ozone content in the upper atmosphere) and astronomy. These included observations of the 1987A supernova and the constellation Great Dog with the Glasar UV telescope, the measurement of currents of electrically charged elementary particles of high energy in near-Earth space, the use of the Marija magnetic spectrometer for star observation and the exploration of X-ray sources in the Crab Nebula, in the small magellanic Cloud and altar in the constellation. In addition, the UVS telescope was used to photograph astronomical objects in the constellation of Taurus. With the Birjussa facility, it was possible to investigate the course of physical-chemical processes under the conditions of microgravity. Biochemical research concerned the synthesis of polyacrylic helium. Technological research (Experiment Wichr) and agricultural studies as well as maintenance work (including the station's water regeneration system) completed the extensive work program.

After the delivery of new tools, it was also possible to dismantle a detector block on the station's X-ray telescope with another exit. At the same time, preparations were made for further assembly work to expand the station (4:12 h). A material delivery took place with the automatic transport spaceship Progress 38. Titow and Manarow returned to earth with the spaceship Soyuz TM-6, while Polyakov remained on board the station with the fourth regular crew. The mission had produced a variety of research results in more than 2000 experiments.

See also

Web links