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Soyuz TM-8

Soyuz TM-8
COSPAR ID 1989-071A
Mission duration 166 days, 6 hours, 58 minutes, 15 seconds
Orbits completed ~2,680
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type Soyuz-TM
Manufacturer NPO Energia
Launch mass 7,150 kilograms (15,760 lb)
Crew
Crew size 2
Members Alexander Viktorenko
Aleksandr Serebrov
Callsign Ви́тязь (Vityaz - Knight)
Start of mission
Launch date September 5, 1989, 21:38:03 (1989-09-05UTC21:38:03Z) UTC
Rocket Soyuz-U2
End of mission
Landing date February 19, 1990, 04:36:18 (1990-02-19UTC04:36:19Z) UTC
Landing site 55 kilometres (34 mi) NE of Arkalyk
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 390 kilometres (240 mi)
Apogee 392 kilometres (244 mi)
Inclination 51.6 degrees
Period 92.4 minutes
Docking with Mir
Soyuz programme
(Manned missions)

Soyuz TM-8 was a spacecraft used to launch and land the crew of the fifth long duration crew to the Soviet Space Station Mir. It was part of the Soyuz-TM series of spacecraft, which were the fourth generation of the Soviet Soyuz. Soyuz TM-8 was the eighth manned spaceflight to Mir, and spent 166 days in orbit.

The crew consisted of two Soviet cosmonauts. They had both been in space, but only Viktorenko had previously been to Mir, which was a 7-day visit during Mir EP-1.

The Soyuz-U2 rocket was painted with advertisements. During the Soyuz spacecraft's final approach to Mir (4 metre distance), the Kurs rendezvous and docking system malfunctioned, so Viktorenko took over manual control and withdrew to 20 metres, and then docked manually. The spacecraft spent 166 days attached to Mir, for the duration of the expedition Mir EO-5.

Soyuz TM-8 landed at 04:36 UTC on 19 February 1990, after an uneventful flight to Earth.


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