Soyuz TMA-9

Soyuz TMA -9 is the mission name for the flight of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). As part of the ISS program, the flight is called ISS AF - 13S. It was the 13th visit of a Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS and the 119th flight in Sojusprogramm.

Crew

Start crew

  • Mikhail Tyurin Vladislavovich ( second space flight), Commander ( Roscosmos / Russia)
  • Michael López- Alegría (4th space flight), flight engineer (NASA / USA)
  • Anousheh Ansari ( first space flight), space tourist (USA / Iran)

Backup crew

  • Yuri Ivanovich Malenchenko, Commander ( Roscosmos / Russia)
  • Peggy Whitson, board engineer (NASA / USA)

Return crew

  • Mikhail Tyurin Vladislavovich ( second space flight), Commander ( Roscosmos / Russia)
  • Michael López- Alegría (4th space flight), flight engineer ( Roscosmos / Russia)
  • Charles Simonyi, space tourist (USA)

Mission overview

Soyuz TMA -9 brought the 14 long-term crew to the International Space Station (ISS) and replaced the Soyuz TMA -8 as a rescue vehicle.

Originally, the space tourist Daisuke Enomoto should take part in the flight and stay for a week on board the ISS. On August 21, 2006, however, Roscosmos announced that the Japanese contractor for medical reasons could not participate in the spacecraft and will be replaced by another astronaut. The next day was the space tourist Anousheh Ansari, who had prepared as a replacement for Enomoto for some time on the mission, was appointed to the occupation.

On August 30, the president of RKK Energiya announced that the start date of Soyuz TMA -9 could be postponed to September 18, the shuttle mission STS -115 should start between the 6th and 8th of September. A further deferment would not be considered because it is the Soyuz TMA -8 landing capsule would return to earth at night, what you want to avoid if possible. If STS -115 still does not start until September 8, Soyuz TMA -9 would be as planned broken on September 14, into space. The next day was a final installation of the start date to September 18, then regardless of whether the shuttle launch until September 8 or not.

The launch took place at a carrier rocket Soyuz -FG type from the Baikonur cosmodrome on September 18, 2006 at 4:08:42 UTC clock. The coupling to the ISS on 20 September at 5:21:20 UTC before at 8:34 UTC, the hatches between the Soyuz spacecraft and the Russian Zvezda module housing were opened.

After 216 days in space was the landing on 21 April 2007 12:31:30 UTC. The date was postponed by one day due to heavy rainfall and the landing site was moved 300 km to the south.

More flight data

  • Coupling ISS: 20 September 2006 5:21 UTC ( to the Zvezda module )
  • Decoupling ISS: October 10, 2006 19:14 UTC ( from Zvezda module )
  • Coupling ISS: October 10, 2006 19:34 UTC ( to the Zarya module )
  • Decoupling ISS: March 29, 2007, 22:30 UTC ( from the Zarya module )
  • Coupling ISS: March 29, 2007 22:54 UTC ( to the Zvezda module )
  • Decoupling ISS: April 21, 2007 9:11 ( from the Zvezda module )

The TMA -9 stayed at the ISS docked and served as a new rescue vehicle. It replaced the previous rescue vehicle Soyuz TMA -8.

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