Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz TM-20 Soyuz-U2
Meet the Astronaut Crew
Aleksandr Viktorenko
- Birthday: 03/29/1947
- Role: Commander
- Nationality: Russia
- First Flight: 07/22/1987
- Last Flight: 10/03/1994
Aleksandr Stepanovich Viktorenko (Александр Степанович Викторенко) was a Soviet cosmonaut. He wa...
Yelena Kondakova
- Birthday: 03/30/1957
- Role: Flight Engineer
- Nationality: Russia
- First Flight: 10/03/1994
- Last Flight: 05/15/1997
Yelena Vladimirovna Kondakova (Russian: Елена Владимировна Кондакóва; born March 30, 1957) was the ...
Ulf Merbold
- Birthday: 06/20/1941
- Role: Research Cosmonaut
- Nationality: Germany
- First Flight: 11/28/1983
- Last Flight: 10/03/1994
Dr. Ulf Dietrich Merbold (born June 20, 1941) is the first West German citizen and second German native (after Sigmund Jähn)...
About the Soyuz TM-20 Mission
- Type: Human Exploration
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
Soyuz TM-20 was the 20th mission and the 17th long-duration expedition to Mir space station. The mission began on October 3, 1994, 22:42:30 UTC, launching Commander Alexander Viktorenko, Flight Engineer Yelena Kondakova and Research Cosmonaut Ulf Merbold into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed two EVAs, carried out various scientific experiments. Station crew was visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, and welcomed aboard the Soyuz TM-21 crew. During this mission the first rendezvous maneuver of the Space Shuttle STS-63 with the Mir space station was performed.
The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on March 22, 1995, 04:04:05 UTC.
Launch Pad & Location
1/5
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
The 1/5 launch pad has hosted 487 rocket launches, including 487 orbital launch attempts. The Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan launch site has been the location for 1563 total rocket launches.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is a spaceport operated by Russia within Kazakhstan. Located in the Kazakh city of Baikonur, it is the largest operational space launch facility in terms of area. All Russian crewed spaceflights are launched from Baikonur.
Soviet Space Program Soyuz-U2 Rocket
The Soyuz-U2 was a Soviet, later Russian, carrier rocket. It was derived from the Soyuz-U, and a member of the R-7 family of rockets. It featured increased performance compared with the baseline Soyuz-U, due to the use of syntin propellant, as opposed to RP-1 paraffin, used on the Soyuz-U.
About Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 launch scheduled?
The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 launch was scheduled for:
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Where did the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 mission launch from?
The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U rocket launched from 1/5 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan. The Baikonur Cosmodrome is a spaceport operated by Russia within Kazakhstan. Located in the Kazakh city of Baikonur, it is the largest operational space launch facility in terms of area. All Russian crewed spaceflights are launched from Baikonur.
What rocket was used for the Soyuz TM-20 mission?
The Soyuz TM-20 mission launched aboard a Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U rocket. The Soyuz-U2 was a Soviet, later Russian, carrier rocket. It was derived from the Soyuz-U, and a member of the R-7 family of rockets. It featured increased performance compared with the baseline Soyuz-U, due to the use of syntin propellant, as opposed to RP-1 paraffin, used on the Soyuz-U. Detailed rocket specifications and performance data are available in the rocket details above.
What weather conditions could have delayed the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 launch?
The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 launch could have been delayed by various weather conditions including lightning within 10 nautical miles, high winds (especially upper-level winds), thick cloud layers, precipitation, and poor visibility. Weather must be favorable at the launch site, downrange landing zones, and abort landing sites.
How can I get updates if the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U Soyuz TM-20 launch was delayed?
This page was updated in real-time with the latest Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U launch status, including any delays or scrubs for the Soyuz TM-20 mission. You can also check our space launch schedule for historical launch information. Our mobile app provides push notifications for instant alerts about launch status changes. Official Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) live streams provided the most immediate range updates during the launch window.