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Soyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-21
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Launch Successful

Soyuz TM-21

Soyuz-U2

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Historical mission record

This page records Soyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-21 and its reported outcome: Launch Successful. The date above is a historical record.

Source record updated . This is a source update, not a confirmed launch time.

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Mission status
Launch Successful

Status reported by the mission data provider.

LAUNCH SITEBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Mission

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.

Launch vehicle
Soyuz-U2
Mission type
Human Exploration
Destination orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Spacecraft
Soyuz TM-21
Destination
Mir
Launch pad
1/5
Provider
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
Programs
Shuttle–Mir, Soyuz, Mir

The vehicle

Published configuration and flight history.

Soyuz-U2
Launch vehicle

Soyuz-U2

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
Stages
2
Recorded launches
71
First flight
1982-12-23

Recorded timing

This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.

Instantaneous windowPublished target
SCHEDULED MOMENT

A single scheduled moment. The schedule may change before launch.

Launch site & orbit

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

The mission in perspective

Launch site & orbit

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NASA Blue Marble map of Earth's continents and oceans
Representative orbit · accelerated illustrationNo live tracking or simulated ascent. NASA Blue Marble.

Coverage & sources

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Mission coverage

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Further reading

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