# Soyuz MS-18

> Russian crewed mission to the ISS

**Wikidata**: [Q69637833](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q69637833)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_MS-18)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-ms-18

## Summary  
Soyuz MS-18 was a Russian crewed spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS), part of the ongoing Soyuz programme. Launched on April 9, 2021, it transported three astronauts—Oleg Novitskiy, Pyotr Dubrov, and Mark T. Vande Hei—to begin Expedition 65. The mission concluded on October 17, 2021, with a landing in the Kazakh Steppe.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date**: April 9, 2021  
- **Landing date**: October 17, 2021  
- **Crew members**: Oleg Novitskiy (commander), Pyotr Dubrov (flight engineer), Mark T. Vande Hei (flight engineer)  
- **Spacecraft class**: Soyuz MS  
- **Launch vehicle**: Soyuz-2.1a  
- **Operator**: Roscosmos State Corporation  
- **Manufacturer**: S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia  
- **Part of**: Soyuz programme  
- **Preceded by**: Soyuz MS-17  
- **Followed by**: Soyuz MS-19  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the purpose of the Soyuz MS-18 mission?  
A: Soyuz MS-18 transported crew members to the International Space Station for Expedition 65. It also carried two spaceflight participants—filmmaker Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild—for a brief stay to film scenes aboard the ISS.

### Q: Who were the crew members of Soyuz MS-18?  
A: The primary crew included Oleg Novitskiy as commander, Pyotr Dubrov and Mark T. Vande Hei as flight engineers. Klim Shipenko and Yulia Peresild joined for the return journey as spaceflight participants.

### Q: Where did Soyuz MS-18 launch and land?  
A: The mission launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31 in Kazakhstan on April 9, 2021, and landed in the Kazakh Steppe on October 17, 2021.

## Why It Matters  
Soyuz MS-18 played a critical role in maintaining continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 65. It demonstrated the reliability of the Soyuz spacecraft as a key transportation system for international crews. Additionally, the mission marked a historic moment in space tourism and media production, as it carried civilian participants to film scenes for the movie *Challenge*, highlighting new uses of space infrastructure for cultural projects.

## Notable For  
- First mission to carry professional filmmakers to the ISS for on-orbit filming  
- Successful docking with both Rassvet and Nauka modules during its stay  
- Included participation from Roscosmos-selected civilians (Shipenko and Peresild) without prior astronaut training  
- Part of the longest continuous human presence aboard the ISS  

## Body  
### Mission Overview  
Soyuz MS-18 was launched on April 9, 2021, at 07:42:41 UTC from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Soyuz-2.1a rocket. The spacecraft carried three crew members: Oleg Novitskiy (spacecraft commander), Pyotr Dubrov (flight engineer), and NASA astronaut Mark T. Vande Hei (flight engineer).  

The mission supported Expedition 65 aboard the International Space Station and lasted approximately 191 days. During its time in orbit, the crew conducted scientific research, maintenance activities, and hosted visits from other missions.

### Crew Rotation and Civilian Participation  
In October 2021, shortly before re-entry, the Soyuz MS-18 returned with its original crew plus two additional passengers: filmmaker Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild. They had traveled to the ISS several days earlier aboard Soyuz MS-19 specifically to film scenes for the Russian feature film *Challenge*. Their inclusion marked one of the earliest instances of non-astronaut civilians traveling to space under official government programs.

### Docking and Berthing Events  
- **First docking**: With the ISS's Rassvet module on April 10, 2021, remaining attached until September 28, 2021 (duration: ~247,755 minutes).  
- **Second docking**: With the newly installed Nauka module on September 28, 2021, staying docked until landing on October 17, 2021 (duration: ~26,650 minutes).

### Landing  
Soyuz MS-18 performed a targeted landing in the Kazakh Steppe on October 17, 2021, at 04:35:44 UTC. The descent module touched down safely with all five occupants onboard: the original crew plus Shipenko and Peresild.

### Technical Specifications  
- **Spacecraft class**: Soyuz MS  
- **Call sign**: Kazbek  
- **Orbital inclination**: 51.66°  
- **Duration**: 274,853 minutes (~190.87 days)  
- **Satellite catalog ID**: COSPAR 2021-029A / NSSDCA 2021-029A  

### Backup Crew  
A backup crew was designated for the mission but not flown:  
- Anton Shkaplerov – Spacecraft Commander  
- Oleg Artemyev – Flight Engineer 1  
- Anne McClain – Flight Engineer 2  

## Schema Markup  
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Soyuz MS-18",
  "description": "Russian crewed mission to the ISS",
  "sameAs": [
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. [Source](https://www.roscosmos.ru/32993/)
3. [Source](http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2021.html#soyuz_ms18)
4. [Source](https://www.roscosmos.ru/32888/)
5. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2021-029A)