Soyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-18

Mission Status

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

Mission Details

Soyuz TM-18 was the 18th mission and the 15th long-duration expedition to Mir space station. The mission began on January 8, 1994, 10:05:34 UTC, launching Commander Viktor Afanasyev, Flight Engineer Yury Usachov and Research Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts carried out various scientific experiments in medicine, material sciences, astrophysics etc. Station crew was visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, and welcomed aboard the Soyuz TM-19 crew. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on July 9, 1994, 10:32:35 UTC.

Mission Type Human Exploration
Orbit Low Earth Orbit
Launch Window 10:05 AM - 10:05 AM

Rocket Configuration

Name Soyuz-U2
Manufacturer Soviet Space Program
Height 34.54 m
Diameter 2.95 m
Maiden Flight 1982-12-23
Success Rate 71/71 (100%)

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.