Space Station ISS/Sojus TM-31 to TM-34 and TMA-1 to TMA-22

The ISS (International Space Station) is a big international project where different nations as there are USA, Russia, Japan, Brasil, Canada and Europe with the ESA  are involved.

The ISS contents a lot of diiferent separate items and started with the construction in 1998.

The first Expedition to ISS was the Expedition 1 with Shepherd (USA), Gidsenko (Russia) and Krikalow (Russia). They launched on 31 of october 2000 with Sojus TM-31 and came back to Earth on 18 of march 2001 with the Shuttle Discovery STS-102.

The ISS is until now in construction and should be in function at least until the year 2022.

Today the Sojus spaceships with their rockets are the only manned vehicles which can reach the ISS after closing the Space Shuttle program by the USA.

The construction of the ISS started with the first module Zarya with a russian Proton rocket on 20.11.1998.

To the ISS today belongs today already more than 30 Moduls which have been launched by different rockets from different nations.

At the end of construction the ISS will have a total weight of 500 tons, will have a more than 80 m long strucktur in the center  and the solarpannels will go from one  to the other end with more than 107 m.

Today the ISS will serve for 6 crewmenbers for several months at the same time.

Sojus TM-31                       launch                  31.10.2000            ISS Expedition 1:

                                          docking to ISS      02.11.2000            William Shepherd     (USA)

                                          undocking            06.05.2001            Sergei Krikaljow     (Russia)

                                          landing                 06.05.2001           Juri Gidsenko          (Russia)

Back to Earth crew:

Juri Baturin              (Russia, Sojus TM-32)

Dennis Tito               (Spacetourist, USA, Sojus TM-32)

First time that a Sojus spaceship ( Sojus TMA-31) docked at the ISS Orbitalstation and that from this moment onwards with the ISS-Expetition crew 1 (02.11.2000) there was/are always with no interruption one or more astronauts/cosmonauts in the space

This first ISS-crew went back to Earth with the Space Shuttle  STS-102 (Discovery) on 19.03.2001.

3025 Orbits

ISS Expedition 1 stayed 137 days in space

Sojus TM-32                 launch               28.04.2001          Talghat Mussabajew    (Kasachstan)

                                    docking ISS       30.04.2001          Juri Baturin                  (Russia)

                                    undocking          31.10.2001          Dennis Tito                  (Spacetourist, USA)

                                    landing              31.10.2001

Back to Earth crew:

Wiktor Afanassjew      (Russia, Sojus TM-33)

Chlaudie Haignere     (France, Sojus TM-33)

Konstantin Kosejew    (Russia, Sojus TM-33)

Second visit of a Sojus spaceship to ISS.

Taxi 1-Mission (First Taxi flight) to exchange the Sojus spaceship docked to the ISS due to only 6 month certificate for a Sojus spaceship.

After 6 month the Sojus spaceship has to be changed, certificate for Sojus spaceships expired.

3025 Orbits

Sojus TM-33                      launch            21.10.2001        Wiktor Afassajew       (Russia)

                                         docking ISS    23.10.2001        Claudie Haignere       (France)

                                         undocking      05.05.2002        Konstantin Kosejew    (Russia)

                                         landing           05.05.2002

Back to Earth crew.

Juri Gidsenko         (Russia, Sojus TM-34)

Roberto Vittori        (Italy, Sojus TM-34)

Mark Shuttleworth  (Southafrica, Spacetourist, SojusTM-34)

Taxi 2-Mission

Third visit of a Sojus spaceship to ISS

3195 Orbits

Sojus TM-34       launch               25.04.2002       Juri Gidsenko             (Russia)

                          docking to ISS   27.04.2002       Roberto Vittorio         (Italy)

                          undocking          09.11.2002       Mark Shuttleworth     (Southafrica, Spacetouriste)

                          landing              10.11.2002  

Back to Earth crew:

Sergej Saljotin          (Russia, Sojus TMA-1)

Frank De Winne        (Belgium, Sojus TMA-1)

Juri Lontschakow      (Russia, Sojus TMA-1)

Taxi 3-Mission

Fourth visit of a Sojus spaceship to ISS. 

Sojus TM-34 is the last Sojusspacecraft of this type.

Next generation is the Sojus TMA-xx type.

3235 Orbits

Sojus TMA-1                          launch                 30.10.2002        Sergej Soljotin          (Russia)

                                              docking to ISS     01.11.2002        Frank De Winne        (Belgium)

                                              undocking           03.05.2003        Juri Lontschakow      (Russia)

                                              landing                04.05.2003  

Back to Earth crew:

Nikolai Budarin           (Russia, Space Shuttle STS-113, ISS Expedition 6)

Kenneth Bowersox      (USA, Space Shuttle STS-113, ISS Expedition 6)

Donald Pettit               (USA, Space Shuttle STS-113, ISS Expedition 6)

3020 Orbits

Sojus TMA-2            launch                 26.04.2003       ISS Expedition 7:

                                docking to ISS    28.04.2003        Edward Lu                         (USA)

                                undocking          27.10.2003        Juri Malentschenko           (Russia)

                                landing               28.10.2003       

Back to Earth crew:

Juri Malentschenko          (Russia, Sojus TMA-2, ISS Expedition 7)

Edward Lu                        (USA, Sojus TMA-2, ISS Expedition 7)

Franciso Duque                (Spain, Sojus TMA-3)

The mission Sojus TMA-2 was the first manned spaceflight after the Space Shuttle STS-107 disaster.

The first and last Sojus spaceflight to the ISS with only two cosmonauts

ISS-Expedition 7 stayed in Orbit 183 days

It was as well the only time where only two persons have been on the ISS and have kept the ISS orbitalstation in full function.

3005 Orbits

Sojus TMA-3             launch                 18.10.2003         Pedro Duque (Spain)

                                docking to ISS     20.10.2003         ISS Expedition 8:

                                undocking            29.04.2004         Alexander Kaleri          (Russia)

                                landing                30.04.2004         Colin Foale                   (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Alexander Kaleri          (Russia, Sojus TMA-3, ISS Expedition 8)

Colin Foale                   (USA, Sojus TMA-3, ISS Expedition 8)

Andre Kuipers              (Netherlands, Sojus TMA-3)

3170 Orbits

ISS Expedition stayed 194 days in space

Sojus TMA-4             launch                 19.04.2004       Andre Kuipers              (Netherlands)

                                docking to ISS     21.04.2004        ISS Expedition 9:

                                undocking            23.10.2004       Gennadi Padalka         (Russia)

                                landing                 24.10.2004       Michael Fincke            (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Gennadi Padalka         (Russia, Sojus TMA-4, ISS Expedition 9)

Michael Fincke            (USA, Sojus TMA-4, ISS Expedition 9)

Juri Schargin               (Russia, Sojus TMA-5)

2950 Orbits

ISS Expedition stayed 187 days in space

Sojus TMA-5             launch                 14.10.2004         Juri Schargin                       (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     16.10.2004          ISS Expedition 10:

                                undocking            24.04.2005         Salischan Scharipow           (Russia)

                                landing                24.04.2005          Leroy Chiao                         (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Salischan Scharipow          (Russia, Sojus TMA-5, ISS Expedition 10)

Leroy Chiao                         (USA, Sojus TMA-5, ISS Expedition 10)

Roberto Vittori                     (Italy, Sojus TMA-6)

3026 Orbits

ISS Expedition 10 stayed 192 days in space

Sojus TMA-6            launch                 15.04.2005         Robert Vittorio             (Italy)

                                docking to ISS    17.04.2005         ISS Expedition 11:

                                undocking           10.10.2005        Sergei Krikaljow         (Russia)

                                landing               11.10.2005         John Phillips               (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Sergei Krikaljow          (Russia, Sojus TMA-6, ISS Expedition 11)

John Phillips                (USA, Sojus TMA-6, ISS Expedition 11)

Gregory Olsen             (Spacetourist, USA, Sojus TMA-7)

2818 Orbits

ISS Expedition Sergei Krikaljow stayed 179 days in space

Sojus TMA-7             launch                 01.10.2005       Gregory Olsen            (USA,Spacetourist)

                                docking to ISS     03.10.2005       ISS Expedirion 12:

                                undocking            08.04.2006       Waleri Tokarew          (Russia)

                                landing                 08.04.2006      Williams McArthur       (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Waleri Tokarew          (Russia, Sojus TMA-7, ISS Expedition 12)

Williams McArthur      (USA, Sojus TMA-7, ISS Expedition 12)

Marcos Pontes            (Brasil, Sojus TMA-8)

2987 Orbits

ISS Expedition 12 stayes 189 days in space

Sojus TMA-8             launch                 30.03.2006        Marcos Pontes              (Brasil)

                                docking to ISS     01.04.2006        ISS Expedition 13:

                                undocking            28.09.2006        Pawel Winogradow     (Russia)    

                                landing                 29.09.2006       Jeffrey Williams            (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Pawel Winogradow           (Russia, Sojus TMA-8,ISS Expedition 13)

Jeffrey Williams                 (USA, Sojus TMA-8, ISS Expedition 13)

Anousheh Ansari                (Iran,Spacetourist, Sojus TMA-9)

2886 Orbits

ISS Expedition 13 stayed 175 days in space.

The third astronaut of the ISS Expedtion 13 was Thomas Reiter (Germany), he joined the team with Space Shuttle Discovery STS-121 on 6 of July 2006 (docking to ISS) and came back to Earth with Space Shuttle Discovery STS-116 on 22 of december 2006.

He was member as well of ISS Expedition 14

Sojus TMA-9             launch                 18.09.2006        Anousheh Ansari             (Iran, Spacetourist)

                                docking to ISS     20.09.2006        ISS Expedition 14:

                                undocking            21.04.2007        Michail Tjurin                  (Russia)

                                landing                21.04.2007        Michael Lopez-Alegria     (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Michail Tjurin                    (Russia, Sojus TMA-9, ISS Expedition 14)

Michael Lopez-Alegria      (USA, Sojus TMA-9, ISS Expedition 14)

Charles Simonyi                (Spacetouriste, USA, Sojus TMA-10)

ISS Expedition 14 stayed 215 days in space

The third astronaut of ISS Expedition 14 was Sunnita Williams (USA), she joined the team with Space Shuttle STS-116 Discovery on 11 of december 2006 (docking to ISS) and came back to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-117 Atlantis on 22 of June 2007.

She was as well member of the ISS Expedition 15.

Thomas Reiter (Germany) was from 20.09.2006 until 22.12.2006 as well member of the ISS Expedition 14

Flight time 215 days

Sojus TMA-10          launch                 07.04.2007        Charles Simonyi               (USA, Spacetourist)

                                docking to ISS    09.04.2007        ISS Expedition 15:

                                undocking          21.10.2007        Oleg Kotow                       (Russia)            

                                landing               21.10.2007        Fjodor Jurtschichin           (Russia)

Back to Earth crew:

Oleg Kotow                (Russia, Sojus TMA-10, ISS Expedition 15)

Fjodor Jurtschichin    (Russia, Sojus TMA-10, ISS Expedition 15)

Sheikh Shukor           (Malaysia, Sojus TMA-11)

ISS Expedition 15 stayed 196 days in space

The third astronaut of ISS Expedition 15 was Sunnita Williams (USA), she joined the team with Space Shuttle STS-116 Discovery on 11 of december 2006 (docking to ISS) and came back to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-117 Atlantis on 22 of June 2007.

From 10.06.2007 Clayton Anderson (USA) joined the Expedition 15 with Space Shuttle STS-117 Atlantis and came back to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-120 Discovery on 05.11.2007.

He was as well member of the ISS Expedition 16

Flight time 196 days

Sojus TMA-11           launch                 10.10.2007        Sheik Shukur                (Malaysia)

                                docking to ISS     12.10.2007        ISS Expedition 16:

                                undocking            19.04.2008       Juri Malentschenko       (Russia)            

                                landing                19.04.2008        Peggy Whitson             (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Juri Malentschenko    (Russia, Sojus TMA-11, ISS Expedition 16)

Peggy Whitson           (USA, Sojus TMA-11, ISS Expedition 16)

Yi So-yeon                  (South-Korea, Sojus TMA-12)

ISS Expedition 16 stayed 191 days in space

There have been another 4 astronauts partly as members of the ISS Expedition 16 team:

Clayton Anderson (USA) from 10.10.2007 until 05.11.2007, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-117 and left with Space Shuttle STS-120.

Daniel Tani (USA) from 25.10.2007, he joined with space Shuttle STS-120 until 18.02.2008 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-122

Leopold Eyharts (France) from 09.02.2008, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-122 until 25.03.2008, he left with Space Shuttle STS-123 to Earth.

Garrett Reismann (USA) from 13.03.2008, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-123 until 11.06.2008 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-124.

Sojus TMA-12           launch                 08.04.2008        Yi So-yeon                 (South Korea)

                                docking to ISS     10.04.2008        ISS Expedition 17:

                                undocking            24.10.2008       Sergei Wolkow          (Russia)            

                                landing                24.10.2008        Oleg Kononenko       (Russia)

Back to Earth crew:

Sergei Wolkow     (Russia, Sojus TMA-12, ISS Expedition 17)

Oleg Kononenko  (Russia, Sojus TMA-12, ISS Expedition 17)

Richard Garriott    (United Kingdom, Sojus TMA-13)

ISS Expedition stayed  198 days in space

There have been another two astronauts as partly members of the ISS Expedition 17 team:

Garrett Reismann (USA)  from 08.04.2008, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-123 until 11.06.2008 and left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-124.

Gregory Chamitoff (USA) from 02.06.2008, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-124 until 28.11.2008 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-126.

Sojus TMA-13           launch                 12.10.2008        Richard Garriott         (United Kingdom)

                                docking to ISS     14.10.2008        ISS Expedition 18:

                                undocking            18.04.2009       Juri Lontschakow      (Russia)           

                                landing                 18.04.2009       Michael Fincke           (USA)

Back to Earth crew:

Juri Lontschakow    (Russia, Sojus TMA-13, ISS Expedition 18)

Michael Fincke        (USA, Sojus TMA-13, ISS Expedition 18)

Charles Simonyi      (USA, Spacetourist, Sojus TMA-14)

ISS Expedition 18 stayed 178 days in space

There have been another two astronauts as partly members of the ISS Expedition 18 team:

Gregory  Chamitoff (USA)  from 02.06.2008, he joined with Space Shuttle STS-124 until 28.11.2008 and left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-126.

Sandra Magnus (USA) from 16.11.2008, she joined with Space Shuttle STS-126 until 26.03.2009 she left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-119.

Koichi Wakata (Japan), he joined with Space Shuttle STS-119 on 17.03.2009 until 28.07.2009 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-127.

Sojus TMA-14        launch                26.03.2009       Charles Simonyi       (USA, Spacetourist)

                             docking to ISS    28.03.2009       ISS-Expedition 19 and 20:

                             undocking          11.10.2009        Michael Barrett         (USA)            

                             landing               11.10.2009        Gennadi Padalka     (Russia)

Back to Earth crew:

Gennadi Padalka  (Russia, Sojus TMA-14, ISS Expedition 19 and 20)

Michael Barrett     (USA, Sojus TMA-14, ISS Expedition 19 and 20)

Gay Laliberte        (Canada, Spacetourist, Sojus TMA-16)

ISS Expedition 19 stayed 63 days in space.

Second Space flight of Spacetourist Charles Simonyi

There has been another astronaut as partly members of the ISS Expedition 19 team:

Koichi Wakata (Japan), he joined with Space Shuttle STS-119 on 17.03.2009 until 28.07.2009 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-127.

Some remarks to the new official board cancel of the russian post:

The new russian board cancel have been brought to the ISS with Sojus TMA-13 by Juri Lontschakow on 14.10.2008.The text is as follow:

Post Russia Russian segment  MKS on board of the ISS Moscow 101000.

The post office on the ISS belongs to the  main post office of Moscow.

The first usage of that new cancel was the 8.3.2009 , docking of Sojus TMA-14 to the ISS.

This shown cover with the 13 original signatures and the docking date with the new cnacel on 8.3.2009 was brought back to earth with Sojus TMA-14 by Padalka and is one of the first covers which exist. This cancel should be used first onyl up from 29.7.2009 when the ISS post office was officially opened, but Padalka used the cancel already in march earlier than allowed.

                                                                                    ISS Expedition 20 and 21

Sojus TMA-15           launch                 27.05.2009        Roman Romanenko     (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     29.05.2009        Frank De Vinne            (Belgium)

                                undocking            01.12.2009        Robert Thirsk               (Canada)            

                                landing                 01.12.2009       

Back to Earth crew:

same

ISS Expedition 20 stayed 134 days in space.

There have been another 5 astronauts as partly members of the ISS Expedition team 20:

Michael Barrett (USA) and Gennadi Padalka (Russia) , they joined with Sojus TMA-14 on 28.03.2009 until 11.10.2009 when they left to earth with Sojus TMA-14.

Koichi Wakata (Japan), he joined with Space Shuttle STS-119 on 17.03.2009 until 28.07.2009 he left to Earth with Space Shuttle STS-127.

Timothy Kopra (USA) , he joined with Space Shuttle STS-127 on 17.07.2009 until 08.09.2009 when he lft to earth with Space Shuttle STS-128.

Nicole Scott (USA), she joined with Space Shuttle STS-128 on 31.08.2009 and left to earth with Space Shuttle STS-129 on 25.11.2009

Sojus TMA-16       launch                30.09.2009        Guy Laliberte         (Canada, Spacetourist)

                            docking to ISS    02.10.2009        ISS Expedition 21 and 22:

                            undocking          18.03.2010        Maxim Surajew      (Russia)            

                            landing               18.03.2010        Jeffrey Williams     (USA)

Back to Earth crew ;

Maxim Surajew    (Russia, Sojus TMA-16, ISS Expedition 21 and 22)

Jeffrey Williams   (USA, Sojus TMA-16, ISS Expedition 21 and 22)

First time 3 Sojus spacecrafts docked at the same time on ISS

(Sojus TMA-14,Sojus TMA-15 and Sojus TMA-16)

Guy Laliberte returned to Earth with Sojus TMA-14 after 11 days in space

ISS Expedition 21 stayed 51 days in space

There have been another 4 astronauts as partly members of the ISS Expedition team 21:

Roman Romanenko (Russia), Frank de Vinne (Belgium) and Robert Thirsk (Canada) , they joined with Sojus TMA-15 on 29.05.2009 until 01.12.2009 when they left to earth with Sojus TMA-15.

Nicoel Scotte (USA), she joined with Space Shuttle STS-128 on 31.08.2009 and left to earth with Space Shuttle STS-129 on 25.11.2009.

                                                                                     ISS Expedition 22 and 23:

Sojus TMA-17           launch                 20.12.2009         Oleg Kotow              (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     22.12.2009        Söichi Noguchi         (Japan))

                                undocking            02.06.2010        Timothy Creamer      (USA)            

                                landing                 02.06.2010        

Back to Earth crew:

same

ISS Expedition 22 stayed 107 days in space.

                                                                                    ISS Expedition 23 and 24:

Sojus TMA-18           launch                 15.07.2010        Alexander Skworzow    (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     17.07.2010        Tracy Caldwell-Dys        (USA)

                                undocking            26.11.2010        Michail Kornijenko        (Russia)            

                                landing                26.11.2010        

Back to Earth crew:

same

ISS Expedition 23 stayed 75 days in space.

Sojus TMA-19           launch                 15.07.2010        Fjodor Jurtschichin      (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     17.07.2010        Shannon Walker          (USA)

                                undocking            26.11.2010        Douglas Wheelock       (USA)            

                                landing                26.11.2010         ISS Expedition 24 and 25

Back to Earth crew:

same

Sojus TMA-20           launch                 15.12.2010        Dmitri Kondratjew     (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     17.12.2010        Catherine Coleman   (USA)

                                undocking            23.05.2011        Paolo Nespoli            (Italy)

                                landing                 24.05.2011       ISS Expedition 26 and 27

Back to Earth crew:

same

Sojus TMA-21           launch                 04.04.2011        Alexander Samokutjajew (Russia)

                                docking to ISS     06.04.2011        Andrei Borissenko             (Russia)

                                undocking            16.09.2011        Ronald Garan                    (USA)

                                landing                16.09.2011        ISS Expedition 27 and 28

Back to Earth crew:

same

Launch and flight of Sojus TMA-21 celebrate the 50th birthday of Wostok flight with

Yuri Gagarin.

Sojus TMA-21 until now the only Sojusspacecraft with a name (Yuri Gagarin) together with the code

                                                                                   ISS Expedition 29 and 30:

Sojus TMA-22           launch                14.11.2011        Anton Schkaplerow      (Russia)

                                docking to ISS    16.11.2011        Anatoli Iwannischin      (Russia)

                                undocking          27.04.2012        Daniel Burbank             (USA)

                                landing               27.04.2012      

Back to Earth crew:

same

Sojus TMA-22 is the last Sojusspacecraft of this type.

Next generation is the Sojus TMA-0xM type.

During the missions of Sojus TMA-22, Sojus TMA-03M, TMA-04M and TMA-05M, the ATV-3 spaceship docked at the ISS.

The launch of the ATV-3 was in Korou  with an Ariane-5 rocket on 23.03.2012, docking to ISS 28.03.2012 and undocking from ISS on 28.09.2012.