Soyuz TMA-04M

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Soyuz TMA-04M
Союз ТМА-04M
Mission insignia
Soyuz-TMA-04M-Mission-Patch.png
Mission statistics
Mission name Soyuz TMA-04M
Союз ТМА-04M
Crew size 3
Call sign Altair
Launch vehicle Soyuz-FG
Launch pad Gagarin's Start (LC-1/5), Baikonur Cosmodrome
Launch date 15 May 2012[1][2]
03:01:23 UTC
Landing 17 September 2012
02:53 UTC[3]
Crew photo
Soyuz TMA-04M crew.jpg
(l-r) Acaba, Padalka and Revin
Related missions
Previous Subsequent
Soyuz TMA-03M Soyuz TMA-03M Soyuz TMA-05M Soyuz TMA-05M

Soyuz TMA-04M was a spaceflight to Low Earth orbit that transported three members of the Expedition 31 crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which was launched on May 15, 2012 and landed on September 17, 2012.[2] TMA-04M was the Soyuz spacecraft's 113th flight since its initial launch in 1967, and the fourth launch of the improved Soyuz TMA-M series (first launched October 7, 2010). As per the mission plan, the spacecraft remained docked to the space station to serve as an emergency escape vehicle during Expedition 31.

The mission successfully launched to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at 3:01:23 UTC (9:01:23 local time).[4] The Soyuz docked successfully with the ISS on May 17 at 4:36 UTC.[5] The spacecraft carried to the ISS a three person crew (Gennady Padalka, Russia; Sergei Revin, Russia; Joseph Acaba, United States).[4] The mission landed successfully in Kazakhstan on September 17, 2012, at 2:53 UTC.[3]

Contents

Crew [edit]

Position[6][7] Crew Member
Commander Gennady Padalka, Roscosmos
Expedition 31
Fourth spaceflight
Flight Engineer 1 Sergei Revin, Roscosmos
Expedition 31
First spaceflight
Flight Engineer 2 Joseph M. Acaba, NASA
Expedition 31
Second spaceflight

Backup crew [edit]

Position[8] Crew Member[9]
Commander Oleg Novitskiy, Roscosmos
Flight Engineer 1 Evgeny Tarelkin, Roscosmos
Flight Engineer 2 Kevin A. Ford, NASA

Spacecraft [edit]

Soyuz TMA-04M was the fourth mission using the upgraded Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft, which has a modernised flight control system and a reduced mass. The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, the largest company of the Russian space industry.[10]

Mission highlights [edit]

Soyuz TMA-04M was successfully launched to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at 3:01:23 UTC (9:01:23 local Baikonur time).[4] The spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on Thursday, May 17, at 4:36 UTC, linking to the Poisk docking module.[5]

After the departure of Soyuz TMA-03M on June 1, the crew members of TMA-04M conducted the first portion of Expedition 32 until the commencement of the second portion with the arrival of the remaining crew members aboard Soyuz TMA-05M in mid-July.[5] The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 23:09 UTC on September 16 and landed at 2:53 UTC on September 17 in Kazakhstan.[11][3]

Gallery [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ William Harwood (February 12, 2012). "Russia Orders Soyuz Delays In Wake Of Test Mishap". SpaceflightNow.com. Retrieved February 12, 2012. 
  2. ^ a b "Three New Crew Members En Route to Station". Latest News. NASA. Retrieved May 14, 2012. 
  3. ^ a b c "Expedition 32 Lands Safely in Kazakhstan". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 17 September 2012. 
  4. ^ a b c Harwood, William (May 18, 2012). "Latest manned space launch safely takes flight to orbit". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 18, 2012. 
  5. ^ a b c Harwood, William (May 17, 2012). "Three-man crew docks at International Space Station". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 17, 2012. 
  6. ^ NASA HQ (2009). "NASA and its International Partners Assign Space Station Crews". NASA. Retrieved November 19, 2009. 
  7. ^ NASA HQ (2010). "NASA And Partners Assign Crews For Upcoming Space Station Missions". NASA. Retrieved July 8, 2010. 
  8. ^ "Орбитальные полёты". 2012. 
  9. ^ NASA (2012). "Expedition 31 Backup Crew Members Field Questions from Roscosmos Officials". NASA. 
  10. ^ Soyuz TMA-M manned transport vehicle of a new series Energia Corporation
  11. ^ "Soyuz TMA-04M Spacecraft Undocks from Space Station". RIA Novosti. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.