What is the Soyuz spacecraft?

The Soyuz is a series of spacecraft designed by the Soviet Union in 1962 as a second-generation vehicle more complex than the Vostok. It can carry a crew of up to three people in an orbital compartment, with separate modules for reentry and equipment. The first crewed Soyuz flight occurred on April 23, 1967, with cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov. After problems were identified and fixed, the Soyuz became the primary crewed space access for the Soviet and then Russian space programs for over 50 years. Different versions of the Soyuz have transported crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and served as a rescue vehicle for the ISS.

Which country designed and built the Soyuz spacecraft?

The Soyuz spacecraft was designed and built in the Soviet Union under the direction of Sergei Korolev , a lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer. Work on Soyuz began in 1962, and the first launch took place on April 23, 1967. After initial setbacks, the Soyuz became the primary vehicle for Soviet and then Russian crewed spaceflight programs for over 50 years. It has been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station and as a crew rescue vehicle.

What is the main purpose of the Soyuz spacecraft?

The Soyuz spacecraft serves primarily as a means of accessing space for the Russian human spaceflight program. Initially designed in 1962 as a more complex vehicle than its predecessor, Vostok, it could carry up to three people and perform in-orbit and reentry maneuvers. Over the years, various models of the Soyuz have been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS), and also function as a crew rescue vehicle, acting as a lifeboat for the ISS. Until 2020, American astronauts also used Soyuz spacecraft to reach the ISS.

How does the Soyuz spacecraft travel to and from space stations?

The Soyuz spacecraft uses a precise process to travel to and from space stations. The launch of the spacecraft is timed to achieve a coplanar orbit just below the space station. Being in a lower orbit, the spacecraft travels faster and overtakes the station. Once slightly ahead, it fires thrusters to ascend and slow down, matching the station's altitude and velocity. The process of bringing two spacecraft together is called a rendezvous . After the rendezvous, the Soyuz docks with the station. After its mission, the Soyuz re-enters Earth's atmosphere, using aerodynamic drag to slow down. Heat shields protect it from extreme temperatures during re-entry. Parachutes deploy for a soft landing, typically on land for Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

What are the main parts or modules of the Soyuz spacecraft?

The Soyuz spacecraft consists of three main modules: An orbital crew compartment that can hold up to three people. A separate module for crew reentry. A third section containing spacecraft equipment and rocket engines used for in-orbit and reentry maneuvers. Soyuz spacecraft have been used for over 50 years to transport crews to and from the International Space Station and as a crew rescue vehicle for the ISS.

How has the Soyuz spacecraft changed or improved over time since it was first used?

The Soyuz spacecraft has undergone significant changes since its first launch in 1967. Initially designed in 1962 as a more complex vehicle than its predecessor, Vostok, it could carry up to three people and included separate modules for crew reentry, equipment, and in-orbit maneuvers. After the initial, fatal flight, the spacecraft's design issues were addressed. For over 50 years, various models of the Soyuz have been the primary access to space for Soviet and Russian human spaceflight programs. It has been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and as a crew rescue vehicle for the ISS.

Soyuz

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Soyuz

spacecraft

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David M. Harland

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Last updated

Sep. 21, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is the Soyuz spacecraft?
The Soyuz is a series of spacecraft designed by the Soviet Union in 1962 as a second-generation vehicle more complex than the Vostok. It can carry a crew of up to three people in an orbital compartment, with separate modules for reentry and equipment.

The first crewed Soyuz flight occurred on April 23, 1967, with cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov. After problems were identified and fixed, the Soyuz became the primary crewed space access for the Soviet and then Russian space programs for over 50 years. Different versions of the Soyuz have transported crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and served as a rescue vehicle for the ISS.
2 Britannica Sources
1. space exploration: Soyuz
2. International Space Station
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Which country designed and built the Soyuz spacecraft?
The Soyuz spacecraft was designed and built in the Soviet Union under the direction of Sergei Korolev, a lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer. Work on Soyuz began in 1962, and the first launch took place on April 23, 1967. After initial setbacks, the Soyuz became the primary vehicle for Soviet and then Russian crewed spaceflight programs for over 50 years. It has been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station and as a crew rescue vehicle.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is the main purpose of the Soyuz spacecraft?
The Soyuz spacecraft serves primarily as a means of accessing space for the Russian human spaceflight program. Initially designed in 1962 as a more complex vehicle than its predecessor, Vostok, it could carry up to three people and perform in-orbit and reentry maneuvers.

Over the years, various models of the Soyuz have been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS), and also function as a crew rescue vehicle, acting as a lifeboat for the ISS. Until 2020, American astronauts also used Soyuz spacecraft to reach the ISS.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does the Soyuz spacecraft travel to and from space stations?
The Soyuz spacecraft uses a precise process to travel to and from space stations. The launch of the spacecraft is timed to achieve a coplanar orbit just below the space station. Being in a lower orbit, the spacecraft travels faster and overtakes the station. Once slightly ahead, it fires thrusters to ascend and slow down, matching the station's altitude and velocity.

The process of bringing two spacecraft together is called a rendezvous. After the rendezvous, the Soyuz docks with the station. After its mission, the Soyuz re-enters Earth's atmosphere, using aerodynamic drag to slow down. Heat shields protect it from extreme temperatures during re-entry. Parachutes deploy for a soft landing, typically on land for Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
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What are the main parts or modules of the Soyuz spacecraft?
The Soyuz spacecraft consists of three main modules:
- An orbital crew compartment that can hold up to three people.
- A separate module for crew reentry.
- A third section containing spacecraft equipment and rocket engines used for in-orbit and reentry maneuvers.
Soyuz spacecraft have been used for over 50 years to transport crews to and from the International Space Station and as a crew rescue vehicle for the ISS.
1 Britannica Source
1. space exploration: Soyuz
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How has the Soyuz spacecraft changed or improved over time since it was first used?
The Soyuz spacecraft has undergone significant changes since its first launch in 1967. Initially designed in 1962 as a more complex vehicle than its predecessor, Vostok, it could carry up to three people and included separate modules for crew reentry, equipment, and in-orbit maneuvers.

After the initial, fatal flight, the spacecraft's design issues were addressed. For over 50 years, various models of the Soyuz have been the primary access to space for Soviet and Russian human spaceflight programs. It has been used to transport crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and as a crew rescue vehicle for the ISS.
1 Britannica Source
1. space exploration: Soyuz
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Soyuz, any of several versions of Soviet/Russian crewed spacecraft launched since 1967 and the longest-serving crewed-spacecraft design in use. Originally conceived in Soviet aerospace designer Sergey Korolyov’s design bureau (Energia) for the U.S.S.R.’s Moon-landing program (officially canceled in 1974), the modular craft has served mainly as a crew ferry to and from Earth-orbiting space stations, specifically the Salyut stations, Mir, and the International Space Station (ISS). Soyuz is the Russian word for “union.”

Soyuz TMA-7The Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft undocking from the International Space Station (ISS), April 8, 2006.

The 7-metre- (23-foot-) long, seven-metric-ton vehicle comprises three modules joined in line—a central, bell-shaped descent module with contoured couches for as many as three persons during ascent, descent, and landing; a cylindrical service module mounted at the rear that provides propulsion, life support, and electrical power; and a spheroidal orbital module in front that carries the docking system and contains living facilities and cargo for the orbital phase of the mission. The three modules remain together throughout the mission until the spacecraft is deorbited; only the descent module returns to Earth intact. The first crewed launch of a Soyuz took place on April 23, 1967. Its single test pilot, Vladimir Komarov, was killed when the descent module’s parachute failed to unfurl after reentry and the module crashed—the first human death during a spaceflight.

After losing the race to the Moon in 1969, the Soviet Union adapted the Soyuz to ferry crews to space stations. Soyuz 11 carried the inaugural crew to the Salyut 1 station in June 1971, but, after a record-setting 23 days aboard, the three cosmonauts died when their descent module accidentally depressurized while returning to Earth. In redesigning the spacecraft to forestall another such accident, one couch was removed to accommodate an independent life-support system for individual pressure suits. A modified version flew in July 1975 for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first U.S.-Soviet joint space venture. During the 1970s an automated derivative of Soyuz, known as Progress, was developed as a space station resupply vehicle; cargo and refueling modules replaced the orbital and descent modules in the Soyuz design. Its operational use began in 1978 with a mission to Salyut 6.

Edwin E. Aldrin (Buzz Aldrin) stands on the moon, Apollo 11

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Soyuz TMA-12The Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft preparing to dock at the International Space Station (ISS), April 10, 2008.

Soyuz TMA-20MThe Soyuz TMA-20M landing near Zhezqazghan, Kazakhstan, carrying Expedition 48 crew members returning home after 172 days in space, September 7, 2016.

Soyuz TMA-12MThe Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft approaching the International Space Station for docking, March 27, 2014.

The first major redesign of Soyuz was introduced in 1979. Called the Soyuz T, it had advanced equipment and capabilities and restored the third crew seat. The Soyuz TM version, an upgrade featuring a variety of new systems, made its first crewed flight in 1987 when it carried Mir’s second crew to the then-embryonic space station. The Soyuz TMA debuted in 2002 with a crewed flight to the ISS; its design incorporated changes to meet certain National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) requirements as an ISS “lifeboat,” including eased height and weight restrictions for crew members. An upgraded version of Progress was also used to ferry cargo to the ISS. After the in-flight explosion of the U.S. space shuttle orbiter Columbia in February 2003 and the consequent grounding of the shuttle fleet, Soyuz spacecraft for a time provided the only means for ISS crew exchanges until shuttle flights resumed in July 2005. A new Soyuz version, TMA-M, first launched in 2010. After the U.S. space shuttle program ended in 2011, Soyuz once again became the only spacecraft that could take astronauts to the ISS. An upgraded version, MS, with improved solar arrays and thrusters and extra shielding against micrometeoroids, made its first launch in 2016. Pending the development of a new U.S. crewed spacecraft, Soyuz is the only spacecraft other than China’s Shenzhou (which is based on Soyuz) that flies astronauts into space.

A chronology of spaceflights in the Soyuz program is shown in the table.

Chronology of crewed Soyuz missions
mission	crew	dates	notes
Soyuz 1	Vladimir Komarov	April 23–24, 1967	first spaceflight casualty, parachute deployed incorrectly during reentry
Soyuz 3	Georgy Beregovoy	October 26–30, 1968	attempted to dock with unmanned Soyuz 2
Soyuz 4	Vladimir Shatalov	January 14–17, 1969	docked with Soyuz 5 on January 16
	Aleksey Yeliseyev (down)
	Yevgeny Khrunov (down)
Soyuz 5	Boris Volynov	January 15–18, 1969	Yeliseyev and Khrunov spacewalked to Soyuz 4
	Aleksey Yeliseyev (up)
	Yevgeny Khrunov (up)
Soyuz 6	Georgy Shonin	October 11–16, 1969	Kubasov performed welding experiments; rendezvous with Soyuz 7 and 8
Soyuz 6	Valery Kubasov	October 11–16, 1969
Soyuz 7	Anatoly Filipchenko	October 12–17, 1969	unsuccessful attempt to dock with Soyuz 8
	Vladislav Volkov
	Viktor Gorbatko
Soyuz 8	Vladimir Shatalov	October 13–18, 1969	unsuccessful attempt to dock with Soyuz 7
Soyuz 8	Aleksey Yeliseyev	October 13–18, 1969	unsuccessful attempt to dock with Soyuz 7
Soyuz 9	Andriyan Nikolayev	June 1–19, 1970	new space endurance record (17 days 17 hours)
Soyuz 9	Vitaly Sevastiyanov	June 1–19, 1970	new space endurance record (17 days 17 hours)
Soyuz 10	Vladimir Shatalov	April 22–24, 1971	docked with Salyut space station, but faulty hatch on Soyuz did not allow crew to enter
	Aleksey Yeliseyev
	Nikolay Rukavishnikov
Soyuz 11/Salyut 1	Georgy Dobrovolsky	June 6–29, 1971	new space endurance record (23 days 18 hours); first stay on a space station (Salyut); crew died when capsule depressurized during reentry
	Viktor Patsayev
	Vladislav Volkov
Soyuz 12	Vasily Lazarev	September 27–29, 1973	tested modifications to Soyuz since Soyuz 11 disaster
Soyuz 12	Oleg Makarov	September 27–29, 1973	tested modifications to Soyuz since Soyuz 11 disaster
Soyuz 13	Pyotr Klimuk	December 18–26, 1973	first spaceflight devoted to one instrument, the Orion ultraviolet telescope
Soyuz 13	Valentin Lebedev	December 18–26, 1973
Soyuz 14/Salyut 3	Pavel Popovich	July 3–19, 1974	first mission to military space station
Soyuz 14/Salyut 3	Yury Artyukhin	July 3–19, 1974	first mission to military space station
Soyuz 15	Gennady Sarafanov	August 26–28, 1974	failed to dock with Salyut 3
Soyuz 15	Lev Dyomin	August 26–28, 1974	failed to dock with Salyut 3
Soyuz 16	Anatoly Filipchenko	December 2–8, 1974	rehearsal for Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Soyuz 16	Nikolay Rukavishnikov	December 2–8, 1974	rehearsal for Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Soyuz 17/Salyut 4	Alexey Gubarev	January 11–February 10, 1975	conducted studies in meteorology, solar astronomy, atmospheric physics
Soyuz 17/Salyut 4	Georgy Grechko	January 11–February 10, 1975
Soyuz 18-1	Vasily Lazarev	April 5, 1975	third stage failed, forcing emergency landing
Soyuz 18-1	Oleg Makarov	April 5, 1975	third stage failed, forcing emergency landing
Soyuz 18/Salyut 4	Pyotr Klimuk	May 24–July 26, 1975	continued experiments begun on Soyuz 17
Soyuz 18/Salyut 4	Vitaly Sevastyanov	May 24–July 26, 1975	continued experiments begun on Soyuz 17
Soyuz 19	Aleksey Leonov	July 15–21, 1975	docked in space with Apollo
Soyuz 19	Valery Kubasov	July 15–21, 1975	docked in space with Apollo
Soyuz 21/Salyut 5	Boris Volynov	July 6–August 24, 1976	mission aborted due to noxious odour
Soyuz 21/Salyut 5	Vitaly Zholobov	July 6–August 24, 1976	mission aborted due to noxious odour
Soyuz 22/Salyut 5	Valery Bykovsky	September 15–23, 1976	photographed parts of East Germany in multiple wavelengths
Soyuz 22/Salyut 5	Vladimir Aksyonov	September 15–23, 1976	photographed parts of East Germany in multiple wavelengths
Soyuz 23	Vyacheslav Zudov	October 14–16, 1976	failed to dock with Salyut 5
Soyuz 23	Valery Rozhdestvensky	October 14–16, 1976	failed to dock with Salyut 5
Soyuz 24/Salyut 5	Viktor Gorbatko	February 7–25, 1977	replaced entire air supply of Salyut 5
Soyuz 24/Salyut 5	Yury Glazkov	February 7–25, 1977	replaced entire air supply of Salyut 5
Soyuz 25	Vladimir Kovalyonok	October 9–11, 1977	failed to dock with Salyut 5
Soyuz 25	Valery Ryumin	October 9–11, 1977	failed to dock with Salyut 5
Soyuz 26/Salyut 6/Soyuz 27	Yuri Romanenko	December 10, 1977–March 16, 1978	new space endurance record (96 days 10 hours)
Soyuz 26/Salyut 6/Soyuz 27	Georgy Grechko	December 10, 1977–March 16, 1978	new space endurance record (96 days 10 hours)
Soyuz 27/Salyut 6/Soyuz 26	Vladimir Dzhanibekov	January 10–16, 1978	first crew to return to Earth in different vessel than they launched in
Soyuz 27/Salyut 6/Soyuz 26	Oleg Makarov	January 10–16, 1978
Soyuz 28/Salyut 6	Aleksey Gubarev	March 2–10, 1978	first Czech astronaut (Remek)
Soyuz 28/Salyut 6	Vladimír Remek	March 2–10, 1978	first Czech astronaut (Remek)
Soyuz 29/Salyut 6/Soyuz 31	Vladimir Kovalyonok	June 15–November 2, 1978	new space endurance record (139 days 15 hours)
Soyuz 29/Salyut 6/Soyuz 31	Aleksandr Ivanchenkov	June 15–November 2, 1978	new space endurance record (139 days 15 hours)
Soyuz 30/Salyut 6	Pyotr Klimuk	June 27–July 5, 1978	first Polish astronaut (Hermaszewski)
Soyuz 30/Salyut 6	Mirosław Hermaszewski	June 27–July 5, 1978	first Polish astronaut (Hermaszewski)
Soyuz 31/Salyut 6/Soyuz 29	Valery Bykovsky	August 26–September 3, 1978	first German astronaut (Jähn)
Soyuz 31/Salyut 6/Soyuz 29	Sigmund Jähn	August 26–September 3, 1978	first German astronaut (Jähn)
Soyuz 32/Salyut 6/Soyuz 34	Vladimir Lyakhov	February 25–August 19, 1979	new space endurance record (175 days 1 hour)
Soyuz 32/Salyut 6/Soyuz 34	Valery Ryumin	February 25–August 19, 1979	new space endurance record (175 days 1 hour)
Soyuz 33	Nikolay Rukavishnikov;	April 10–12, 1979	first Bulgarian astronaut (Ivanov)
Soyuz 33	Georgy Ivanov	April 10–12, 1979	first Bulgarian astronaut (Ivanov)
Soyuz 35/Salyut 6/Soyuz 37	Leonid Popov	April 9–October 11, 1980	new space endurance record (184 days 20 hours)
Soyuz 35/Salyut 6/Soyuz 37	Valery Ryumin	April 9–October 11, 1980	new space endurance record (184 days 20 hours)
Soyuz 36/Salyut 6/Soyuz 35	Valery Kubasov	May 26–June 3, 1980	first Hungarian astronaut (Farkas)
Soyuz 36/Salyut 6/Soyuz 35	Bertalan Farkas	May 26–June 3, 1980	first Hungarian astronaut (Farkas)
Soyuz T-2/Salyut 6	Yuri Malyshev	June 5–9, 1980	test flight of updated Soyuz
Soyuz T-2/Salyut 6	Vladimir Aksyonov	June 5–9, 1980	test flight of updated Soyuz
Soyuz 37/Salyut 6/Soyuz 36	Viktor Gorbatko	July 23–31, 1980	first Vietnamese astronaut (Tuân)
Soyuz 37/Salyut 6/Soyuz 36	Phạm Tuân	July 23–31, 1980	first Vietnamese astronaut (Tuân)
Soyuz 38/Salyut 6	Yury Romanenko	September 18–26, 1980	first Cuban astronaut (Tamayo Méndez
Soyuz 38/Salyut 6	Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez	September 18–26, 1980	first Cuban astronaut (Tamayo Méndez
Soyuz T-3/Salyut 6	Leonid Kizim	November 27–December 10, 1980	conducted maintenance and repairs of Salyut 6
	Oleg Makarov
	Gennady Strekalov
Soyuz T-4/Salyut 6	Vladimir Kovalyonok	March 12–May 26, 1981	conducted biomedical experiments
Soyuz T-4/Salyut 6	Viktor Savinykh	March 12–May 26, 1981	conducted biomedical experiments
Soyuz 39/Salyut 6	Vladimir Dzhanibekov	March 22–30, 1981	first Mongolian astronaut (Gurragcha)
Soyuz 39/Salyut 6	Jugderdemidiin Gurragcha	March 22–30, 1981	first Mongolian astronaut (Gurragcha)
Soyuz 40/Salyut 6	Leonid Popov	May 14–22, 1981	first Romanian astronaut (Prunariu)
Soyuz 40/Salyut 6	Dumitru Prunariu	May 14–22, 1981	first Romanian astronaut (Prunariu)
Soyuz T-5/Salyut 7/Soyuz T-7	Anatoly Berezovoy	May 13–December 10, 1982	new space endurance record
Soyuz T-5/Salyut 7/Soyuz T-7	Valentin Lebedev	May 13–December 10, 1982	new space endurance record
Soyuz T-6/Salyut 7	Vladimir Dzhanibekov	June 24–July 2, 1982	first French astronaut (Chrétien)
	Aleksandr Ivanchenkov
	Jean-Loup Chrétien
Soyuz T-7/Salyut 7/Soyuz T-5	Leonid Popov	August 19–27, 1982	second woman in space (Savitskaya)
	Aleksandr Serebrov
	Svetlana Savitskaya
Soyuz T-8	Vladimir Titov	April 20–22, 1983	failed to dock with Salyut 7
	Gennady Strekalov
	Aleksandr Serebrov
Soyuz T-9/Salyut 7	Vladimir Lyakhov	June 27–November 23, 1983	attached Salyut 7 to experimental solar cell battery
Soyuz T-9/Salyut 7	Aleksandr Aleksandrov	June 27–November 23, 1983	attached Salyut 7 to experimental solar cell battery
Soyuz T-10/Salyut 7/Soyuz T-11	Leonid Kizim	February 8–October 2, 1984	new space endurance record (236 days 23 hours)
	Vladimir Solovyov
	Oleg Atkov
Soyuz T-11/Salyut 7/Soyuz T-10	Yury Malyshev	April 3–11, 1984	first Indian astronaut (Sharma)
	Gennady Strekalov
	Rakesh Sharma
Soyuz T-12/Salyut 7	Vladimir Dzhanibekov	July 17–29, 1984	first woman to walk in space (Savitskaya)
	Svetlana Savitskaya
	Igor Volk
Soyuz T-13/Salyut 7	Vladimir Dzhanibekov	June 6–September 26, 1985(November 21 [Savinykh])	repaired dead space station
Soyuz T-13/Salyut 7	Viktor Savinykh	June 6–September 26, 1985(November 21 [Savinykh])	repaired dead space station
Soyuz T-14/Salyut 7	Vladimir Vasyutin	September 17–November 21, 1985 (September 26 [Grechko])	mission cut short due to unexpected psychological illness of Vasyutin
	Aleksandr Volkov
	Georgy Grechko
Soyuz T-15/Mir/Salyut 7	Leonid Kizim	March 13–July 16, 1986	first spaceflight between two space stations
Soyuz T-15/Mir/Salyut 7	Vladimir Solovyov	March 13–July 16, 1986	first spaceflight between two space stations
Soyuz TM-2/Mir	Aleksandr Laveykin	February 5–July 30, 1987 (December 29 [Romanenko])	new space endurance record (Romanenko; 326 days 12 hours); addition of Kvant 1 module to Mir
Soyuz TM-2/Mir	Yury Romanenko	February 5–July 30, 1987 (December 29 [Romanenko])
Soyuz TM-3/Mir	Aleksandr Viktorenko	July 22–July 30, 1987 (December 29 [Aleksandrov])	first Syrian astronaut (Faris)
	Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov
	Muhammed Faris
Soyuz TM-4/Mir	Vladimir Titov	December 21, 1987–December 21, 1988 (December 29, 1987 [Levchenko])	new space endurance record (Titov and Manarov; 365 days 23 hours)
	Musa Manarov
	Anatoly Levchenko
Soyuz TM-5/Mir	Anatoly Solovyov	June 7–17, 1988	second Bulgarian astronaut (Aleksandrov)
	Viktor Savinykh
	leksandr Panayatov Aleksandrov
Soyuz TM-6/Mir	Vladimir Lyakhov	August 29–September 7, 1988 (April 4, 1989 [Polyakov])	first Afghan astronaut (Mohmand)
	Valery Polyakov
	Abdul Ahad Mohmand
Soyuz TM-7/Mir	Aleksandr Volkov	November 26, 1988– April 27, 1989 (December 21, 1988 [Chrétien])	Mir was left unoccupied after crew returned to Earth
	Sergey Krikalyov
	Jean-Loup Chrétien
Soyuz TM-8/Mir	Aleksandr Viktorenko	September 5, 1989– February 19, 1990	addition of Kvant 2 module to Mir
Soyuz TM-8/Mir	Aleksandr Serebrov	September 5, 1989– February 19, 1990	addition of Kvant 2 module to Mir
Soyuz TM-9/Mir	Anatoly Solovyov	February 11–August 9, 1990	addition of Kristall module to Mir
Soyuz TM-9/Mir	Aleksandr Balandin	February 11–August 9, 1990	addition of Kristall module to Mir
Soyuz TM-10/Mir	Gennady Manakov	August 1–December 10, 1990	crew performed space walk to fix damaged hatch on Kvant 2
Soyuz TM-10/Mir	Gennady Strekalov	August 1–December 10, 1990	crew performed space walk to fix damaged hatch on Kvant 2
Soyuz TM-11/Mir	Viktor Afanasiyev	December 2, 1990– May 26, 1991 (December 10, 1990 [Akiyama])	first Japanese citizen in space (Akiyama)
	Musa Manarov
	Akiyama Toyohiro
Soyuz TM-12/Mir	Anatoly Artsebarsky	May 18–October 10, 1991 (March 25, 1992 [Krikalyov] May 26, 1991 [Sharman])	first British astronaut (Sharman)
	Sergey Krikalyov
	Helen Sharman
Soyuz TM-13/Mir	Aleksandr Volkov	October 2, 1991– March 25, 1992 (October 10, 1991 [Aubakirov; Viehböck])	first Austrian astronaut (Viehböck)
	Toktar Aubakirov
	Franz Viehböck
Soyuz TM-14/Mir	Aleksandr Viktorenko	March 17–August 10, 1992 (March 25 [Flade])	first Russian spaceflight after breakup of the U.S.S.R.
	Aleksandr Kalery
	Klaus-Dietrich Flade
Soyuz TM-15/Mir	Anatoly Solovyov	July 27, 1992– February 1, 1993 (August 10, 1992 [Tognini])	crew performed space walks to extend lifetime of Mir
	Sergey Avdeyev
	Michel Tognini
Soyuz TM-16/Mir	Gennady Manakov	January 24–July 22, 1993	placed docking target on Mir for use by space shuttle Atlantis
Soyuz TM-16/Mir	Aleksandr Poleshchuk	January 24–July 22, 1993
Soyuz TM-17/Mir	Vasily Tsibliyev	July 1, 1993– January 14, 1994 (July 22, 1993 [Haigneré])	slight collision with Mir
	Aleksandr Serebrov
	Jean-Pierre Haigneré
Soyuz TM-18/Mir	Viktor Afanasiyev	January 8–July 9, 1994 (March 22, 1995 [Polyakov])	new space endurance record (Polyakov; 437 days 18 hours)
	Yury Usachyov
	Valery Polyakov
Soyuz TM-19/Mir	Yury Malenchenko	July 1–November 4, 1994	Malenchenko performed first manual docking of Progress resupply ship
Soyuz TM-19/Mir	Talgat Musabayev	July 1–November 4, 1994
Soyuz TM-20/Mir	Aleksandr Viktorenko	October 4, 1994–March 22, 1995 (November 4, 1994 [Merbold])	first woman to make a long-duration spaceflight (Kondakova)
	Elena Kondakova
	Ulf Merbold
Soyuz TM-21/Mir	Vladimir Dezhurov	March 14–July 7, 1995	first American to fly on Russian spacecraft (Thagard); addition of Spektr module to Mir
	Gennady Strekalov
	Norman Thagard
Soyuz TM-22/Mir	Yury Gidzenko	September 3, 1995– February 29, 1996	first German to walk in space (Reiter)
	Sergei Avdeyev
	Thomas Reiter
Soyuz TM-23/Mir	Yuri Onufriyenko	February 21–September 2, 1996	addition of Priroda module to Mir
Soyuz TM-23/Mir	Yury Usachyov	February 21–September 2, 1996	addition of Priroda module to Mir
Soyuz TM-24/Mir	Valery Korzun	August 17, 1996–March 2, 1997 (September 2, 1996 [André-Deshays])	first French woman in space (André-Deshays)
	Aleksandr Kaleri
	Claudie André-Deshays
Soyuz TM-25/Mir	Vasily Tsibliyev	February 10–August 14, 1997 (March 2 [Ewald])	fire seriously damaged Mir's oxygen generation system (February 23); collision with Progress punctured Spektr module (June 25)
	Aleksandr Lazutkin
	Reinhold Ewald
Soyuz TM-26/Mir	Anatoly Solovyov	August 5, 1997– February 19, 1998	Mir's oxygen generation system repaired
Soyuz TM-26/Mir	Pavel Vinogradov	August 5, 1997– February 19, 1998	Mir's oxygen generation system repaired
Soyuz TM-27/Mir	Talgat Musabayev	January 29–August 25, 1998 (February 19 [Eyharts])	unsuccessful attempt to repair Spektr solar panel
	Nikolay Budarin
	Leopold Eyharts
Soyuz TM-28/Mir	Gennady Padalka	August 13, 1998– February 28, 1999 (August 28, 1999 [Avdeyev] August 25, 1998 [Baturin])	first Russian politician in space (Baturin)
	Sergey Avdeyev
	Yury Baturin
Soyuz TM-29/Mir	Viktor Afanasiyev	February 20–August 28, 1999 (February 28 [Bella])	first Slovak astronaut (Bella)
	Jean-Pierre Haigneré
	Ivan Bella
Soyuz TM-30/Mir	Sergey Zalyotin	April 4–June 16, 2000	last occupants of Mir
Soyuz TM-30/Mir	Aleksandr Kaleri	April 4–June 16, 2000	last occupants of Mir
Soyuz TM-31/ISS	Yury Gidzenko	October 31, 2000– March 21, 2001	first ISS crew (Expedition 1)
	William Shepherd
	Sergey Krikalyov
Soyuz TM-32/ISS	Talgat Musabayev	April 28–May 6, 2001	first space tourist (Tito)
	Yury Baturin
	Dennis Tito
Soyuz TM-33/ISS	Viktor Afanasiyev	October 21–31, 2001	exchange of Soyuz return craft for ISS crew
	Claudie Haigneré
	Konstantin Kozeyev
Soyuz TM-34/ISS	Yury Gidzenko	April 25–May 5, 2002	first South African space traveler (Shuttleworth)
	Roberto Vittori
	Mark Shuttleworth
Soyuz TMA-1/ISS	Sergei Zalyotin	October 30–November 10, 2002	exchange of Soyuz return craft for ISS crew
	Frank De Winne
	Yury Lonchakov
Soyuz TMA-2/ISS	Yury Malchenko Edward Lu	April 26–October 28, 2003	Expedition 7 crew to ISS
Soyuz TMA-2/ISS	Edward Lu	April 26–October 28, 2003	Expedition 7 crew to ISS
Soyuz TMA-3/ISS	Aleksandr Kaleri	October 18, 2003– April 30, 2004 (October 28, 2003 [Duque])	Expedition 8 crew (Kaleri, Foale) to ISS
	Pedro Duque
	Michael Foale
Soyuz TMA-4/ISS	Gennadi Padalka	April 19–October 24, 2004 (April 30 [Kuipers])	Expedition 9 crew (Padalka, Fincke) to ISS
	Andre Kuipers
	Michael Fincke
Soyuz TMA-5/ISS	Salizhan Sharipov	October 14, 2004– April 24, 2005 (October 24, 2004 [Shargin])	Expedition 10 crew (Sharipov, Chiao) to ISS
	Leroy Chiao
	Yury Shargin
Soyuz TMA-6/ISS	Sergey Krikalyov	April 15–October 11, 2005 (October 24 [Vittori])	Expedition 11 crew (Krikalyov, Phillips) to ISS
	Roberto Vittori
	John Phillips
Soyuz TMA-7/ISS	Valery Tokarev	October 1, 2005– April 8, 2006 (October 11, 2005 [Olsen])	Expedition 12 crew (McArthur, Tokarev) to ISS
	William McArthur
	Gregory Olsen
Soyuz TMA-8/ISS	Pavel Vinogradov	March 30–September 29, 2006 (April 8 [Pontes])	Expedition 13 crew (Vinogradov, Williams) to ISS; first Brazilian astronaut (Pontes)
	Jeffrey Williams
	Marcos Pontes
Soyuz TMA-9/ISS	Mikhail Tyurin	September 18, 2006– April 21, 2007 (September 29, 2006 [Ansari])	Expedition 14 crew (Lopez-Alegria, Tyurin) to ISS
	Michael Lopez-Alegria
	Anousheh Ansari
Soyuz TMA-10/ISS	Oleg Kotov	April 7–October 21, 2007 (April 21 [Simonyi])	Expedition 15 crew (Kotov, Yurchikhin) to ISS
	Fyodor Yurchikhin
	Charles Simonyi
Soyuz TMA-11/ISS	Yury Malenchenko	October 10, 2007– April 19, 2008 (October 21, 2007 [Sheikh])	Expedition 16 crew (Whitson, Malenchenko) to ISS; first Malaysian astronaut (Sheikh)
	Peggy Whitson
	Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
Soyuz TMA-12/ISS	Sergey Volkov	April 8–October 24, 2008 (April 19 [Yi])	Expedition 17 crew (Volkov, Kononenko) to ISS; first second-generation cosmonaut (Volkov); first Korean astronaut (Yi)
	Oleg Kononenko
	Yi So-Yeon
Soyuz TMA-13/ISS	Yuri Lonchakov	October 12, 2008– April 8, 2009 (October 24, 2008 [Garriott])	Expedition 18 crew (Fincke, Lonchakov) to ISS; first second-generation American space traveler (Garriott)
	Michael Fincke
	Richard Garriott
Soyuz TMA-14/ISS	Gennadi Padalka	March 26–October 11, 2009 (April 8 [Simonyi])	Expeditions 19 and 20 crew (Padalka, Barratt); first repeat space tourist (Simonyi)
	Michael Barratt
	Charles Simonyi
Soyuz TMA-15/ISS	Roman Romanenko	May 27–December 1, 2009	Expeditions 20 and 21 crew; brought ISS to full crew of six
	Frank De Winne
	Robert Thirsk
Soyuz TMA-16/ISS	Maksim Suryaev	September 29, 2009– March 18, 2010 (October 11, 2009 [Laliberté])	Expeditions 21 and 22 crew (Suryaev, Williams)
	Jeffrey Williams
	Guy Laliberté
Soyuz TMA-17/ISS	Oleg Kotov	December 21, 2009– June 2, 2010	Expeditions 22 and 23 crew
	Noguchi Soichi
	Timothy Creamer
Soyuz TMA-18/ISS	Aleksandr Skvortsov	April 4–September 25, 2010	Expeditions 23 and 24 crew
	Mikhail Korniyenko
	Tracy Caldwell-Dyson
Soyuz TMA-19/ISS	Fyodor Yurchikhin	June 16–November 26, 2010	Expeditions 24 and 25 crew
	Shannon Walker
	Douglas Wheelock
Soyuz TMA-01M/ISS	Aleksandr Kaleri	October 8, 2010–March 16, 2011	Expeditions 25 and 26 crew
	Oleg Skripochka
	Scott Kelly
Soyuz TMA-20/ISS	Dmitry Kondratyev	December 15, 2010–May 24, 2011	Expeditions 26 and 27 crew
	Paolo Nespoli
	Catherine Coleman
Soyuz TMA-21/ISS	Aleksandr Samokutyayev	April 5–September 16, 2011	Expeditions 27 and 28 crew
	Andrei Borisenko
	Ronald Garan
Soyuz TMA-02M/ISS	Sergey Volkov	June 7–November 22, 2011	Expeditions 28 and 29 crew
	Furukawa Satoshi
	Michael Fossum
Soyuz TMA-22/ISS	Anton Shkaplerov	November 11, 2011–April 27, 2012	Expeditions 29 and 30 crew
	Anatoly Ivanishin
	Daniel Burbank
Soyuz TMA-03M/ISS	Oleg Kononenko	December 21, 2011–July 1, 2012	Expeditions 30 and 31 crew
	André Kuipers
	Donald Pettit
Soyuz TMA-04M/ISS	Gennady Padalka	May 15–September 17, 2012	Expeditions 31 and 32 crew
	Sergey Revin
	Joseph Acaba
Soyuz TMA-05M/ISS	Yury Malenchenko	July 15–November 19, 2012	Expeditions 32 and 33 crew
	Sunita Williams
	Hoshide Akihiko
Soyuz TMA-06M/ISS	Oleg Novitsky	October 23, 2012– March 16, 2013	Expeditions 33 and 34 crew
	Yevgeny Tarelkin
	Kevin Ford
Soyuz TMA-07M/ISS	Roman Romanenko	December 19, 2012– May 14, 2013	Expeditions 34 and 35 crew
	Chris Hadfield
	Thomas Marshburn
Soyuz TMA-08M/ISS	Pavel Vinogradov	March 28–September 11, 2013	Expeditions 35 and 36 crew
	Aleksandr Misurkin
	Christopher Cassidy
Soyuz TMA-09M/ISS	Fyodor Yurchikhin	May 28–November 11, 2013	Expeditions 36 and 37 crew; space walk cut short when water leaked into Parmitano's helmet (July 16)
	Luca Parmitano
	Karen Nyberg
Soyuz TMA-10M/ISS	Oleg Kotov	September 25, 2013– March 11, 2014	Expeditions 37 and 38 crew
	Sergey Ryazansky
	Michael Hopkins
Soyuz TMA-11M/ISS	Mikhail Tyurin	November 7, 2013– May 14, 2014	Expeditions 38 and 39 crew
	Richard Mastracchio
	Wakata Koichi
Soyuz TMA-12M/ISS	Aleksandr Skvortsov	March 25–September 11, 2014	Expeditions 39 and 40 crew
	Oleg Artemyev
	Steven Swanson
Soyuz TMA-13M/ISS	Maksim Surayev Gregory Wiseman Alexander Gerst	May 28–November 10, 2014	Expeditions 40 and 41 crew
	Gregory Wiseman
	Alexander Gerst
Soyuz TMA-14M/ISS	Aleksandr Samokutyayev	September 26, 2014– March 12, 2015	Expeditions 41 and 42 crew
	Yelena Serova
	Barry Willmore
Soyuz TMA-15M/ISS	Anton Shkaplerov	November 24, 2014–June 11, 2015	Expeditions 42 and 43 crew
	Samantha Cristoforetti
	Terry Virts
Soyuz TMA-16M/ISS	Gennadi Padalka	March 27, 2015–March 2, 2016 (September 12, 2015 [Padalka])	Expeditions 43, 44, 45, and 46 crew (Padalka Expeditions 43 and 44)
	Mikhail Korniyenko
	Scott Kelly
Soyuz TMA-17M/ISS	Oleg Kononenko	July 23– December 11, 2015	Expeditions 44 and 45 crew
	Yui Kimiya
	Kjell Lindgren
Soyuz TMA-18M/ISS	Sergey Volkov	September 2–12, 2015 (March 2, 2016 [Volkov])	Expeditions 45 and 46 crew (Volkov); first Danish astronaut (Mogensen)
	Andreas Mogensen
	Aydyn Aimbetov
Soyuz TMA-19M/ISS	Yury Malenchenko	December 15, 2015– June 18, 2016	Expeditions 46 and 47 crew
	Timothy Kopra
	Timothy Peake
Soyuz TMA-20M/ISS	Aleksey Ovchinin	March 19–September 7, 2016	Expeditions 47 and 48 crew
	Oleg Skripochka
	Jeffrey Williams
Soyuz MS-01/ISS	Anatoly Ivanishin	July 7–October 30, 2016	Expeditions 48 and 49 crew
	Onishi Takuya
	Kathleen Rubins
Soyuz MS-02/ISS	Sergey Ryzhikov	October 19, 2016–	Expeditions 49 and 50 crew
	Andrey Borisenko
	Robert Kimbrough
Soyuz MS-03/ISS	Oleg Novitsky	November 18, 2016–	Expeditions 50 and 51 crew
	Thomas Pesquet
	Peggy Whitson

David M. Harland

Soyuz

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