Soyuz TMA-18
| Operator | Roskosmos |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2010-011A |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Soyuz-TMA 11F732 |
| Manufacturer | RKK Energia |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 3 |
| Members |
Aleksandr Skvortsov Mikhail Korniyenko Tracy Caldwell Dyson |
| Callsign | утес ("cliff") |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2 April 2010, 04:04 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz-FG |
| Launch site | Baikonur Cosmodrome Baikonur 1/5 |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 25 September 2010, 05:23 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Docking with ISS | |
|
 From left to right: Caldwell Dyson, Skvortsov and Korniyenko
Soyuz programme
(Manned missions) |
|
Soyuz TMA-18 was a 2010 Soyuz flight to the International Space Station. TMA-18 was the 105th manned flight of a Soyuz spacecraft since the first manned flight in 1967.
After a successful launch on 2 April 2010, the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft transported cosmonauts Alexander Svortsov, Mikhail Kornienko and NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson of the Expedition 23/24 crew to the International Space Station (ISS). Spacecraft commander Skvortsov occupied the center seat of the Soyuz TMA-18 with Kornienko on his left and Caldwell Dyson on the right. The launch was perfect and the flight only experienced communications difficulties shortly after launch. The communication problem made it impossible for the Russian mission control officials to communicate with the crew until after they reached the preliminary orbit. However, a live on-board television camera clearly showed the crew was safe. After 9 minutes, the Soyuz spacecraft settled into a preliminary orbit of 143 miles by 118 miles. It also deployed antennas and solar arrays for power generation. The spacecraft spent the following two days orbiting the Earth gradually closing in on the ISS.
Prior to the launch systems testing and integration of the rocket and spacecraft had been underway for several months. In February 2010 specialists at the RSC-Energia and Yuzhny Space Center tested the Kurs docking support system and onboard computer of the Soyuz reentry capsule. Autonomous tests of the Soyuz TMA-18 crew vehicle systems were also successfully completed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the integrated tests of the rocket commenced at site 254. Filling station (site 31) was prepared for further tanking of the Soyuz propulsion system by propellant components ad pressurized gases. In early March, containment tests on Soyuz TMA-18 were carried out at the vacuum chamber facility. Specialists from the TSKB-Progress in Samara and Yuzhny Space Center started assembling and testing of the Soyuz-FG rocket. Integration of the second stage and pneumatic tests of the first stage's units were performed on 16 March.
...
Wikipedia