Image: NASA
Soyuz TMA-18M
Mission Profile
| Launch date | 2015-09-02 |
|---|---|
| Launch site | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 1/5 |
| Launch vehicle | Soyuz-FG |
| Spacecraft | Soyuz TMA-M (11F747 No. 718) |
| Target | Low Earth Orbit |
| Type | Crewed |
| End date | 2016-03-02 |
| Duration | 181 days 23 hours 48 minutes (spacecraft); visiting crew flew ~9 days |
| Partners | Roscosmos, ESA, Kazakhstan |
Overview
Soyuz TMA-18M carried a remarkable visiting crew to the International Space Station on 2 September 2015. ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen became the first Danish citizen ever to fly in space, and Kazakhstan's Aidyn Aimbetov — the first of the modern Kazakh cosmonaut corps — became the first Kazakh to reach orbit, a homecoming of national pride for the country that hosts Baikonur. Commander Sergei Volkov flew them up on a short 'taxi' flight to swap an aging Soyuz lifeboat. Mogensen and Aimbetov spent eight busy days running science and education experiments before returning aboard Soyuz TMA-16M with Gennady Padalka. Volkov stayed on, eventually bringing the fresh TMA-18M craft home in March 2016 alongside one-year-mission crew Scott Kelly and Mikhail Korniyenko.
Crew
Sergei Volkov
Commander
Russia, Roscosmos; remained aboard ISS and returned with TMA-18M in March 2016
Andreas Mogensen
Flight Engineer (visiting, iriss mission)
Denmark, ESA; first Dane in space; returned aboard Soyuz TMA-16M
Aidyn Aimbetov
Flight Engineer (visiting)
Kazakhstan; first Kazakh cosmonaut to fly; returned aboard Soyuz TMA-16M
Key Milestones
2015-09-02
Launch from Baikonur with Volkov, Mogensen and Aimbetov
2015-09-04
Docking to the ISS Poisk module
2015-09-12
Mogensen and Aimbetov return to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-16M
2016-03-02
Volkov, Kelly and Korniyenko land in Kazakhstan aboard TMA-18M, ending the one-year mission
Key Achievements
Andreas Mogensen became the first Danish citizen in space
Aidyn Aimbetov became the first cosmonaut of the modern independent Kazakh corps to fly
Delivered a fresh Soyuz lifeboat that later returned the historic ISS one-year-mission crew
