# Soyuz TM-18

> 1994 Soviet spaceflight

**Wikidata**: [Q645825](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q645825)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TM-18)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tm-18

## Summary
Soyuz TM-18 was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1994 that transported three crew members to the Mir space station as part of the Soyuz program, with a mission duration of approximately 182 days.

## Key Facts
- Launch date: January 8, 1994
- Landing date: July 9, 1994
- Crew: Viktor Afanasyev (commander), Yury Usachov (Flight Engineer 1), Valeri Polyakov (Research Cosmonaut)
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U2 rocket
- Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome at Gagarin's Start
- Orbital parameters: Apoapsis 390 km, Periapsis 384 km, Orbital period 92.29 minutes, Inclination 51.65°
- Mass at takeoff: 7,150 kg
- Duration: 15,726,421 seconds (approximately 182 days)
- Orbits completed: 2,910
- Country: Russia
- Operator: Roscosmos State Corporation

## FAQs
### Q: When did Soyuz TM-18 launch and land?
A: Soyuz TM-18 launched on January 8, 1994, and landed on July 9, 1994, after approximately 182 days in space.

### Q: Who were the crew members of Soyuz TM-18?
A: The crew consisted of Commander Viktor Afanasyev, Flight Engineer 1 Yury Usachov, and Research Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov.

### Q: Where was Soyuz TM-18 launched from?
A: It was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at Gagarin's Start.

### Q: What was the spacecraft's mass?
A: Soyuz TM-18 had a mass of 7,150 kilograms at takeoff.

### Q: How many orbits did Soyuz TM-18 complete?
A: The spacecraft completed 2,910 orbits during its mission.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TM-18 represents an important chapter in human spaceflight history as part of the Mir space station program during the transition from Soviet to Russian space operations. The mission demonstrated the reliability of Soyuz spacecraft for long-duration missions and contributed to human experience in space habitation. With its 182-day mission, it helped build knowledge about human adaptation to microgravity environments, supporting future long-duration missions. The spacecraft itself, being part of the fourth generation Soyuz-TM class, represented an evolution in spacecraft design for human spaceflight, maintaining the Soyuz program's legacy of continuous crewed spaceflight capability.

## Notable For
- Transporting cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who later completed the longest single spaceflight in history (438 days) aboard Mir after being delivered by Soyuz TM-18
- Being part of the Soyuz-TM class, the fourth generation of Soyuz spacecraft designed for human spaceflight
- Operating in low Earth orbit with 2,910 completed orbits during its mission
- Having an orbital period of 92.29 minutes, consistent with low Earth orbit missions
- Launching from the historically significant Baikonur Cosmodrome at Gagarin's Start

## Body
### Mission Overview
Soyuz TM-18 was a Soviet spaceflight launched on January 8, 1994, as part of the Soyuz program. The spacecraft was of the Soyuz-TM class, representing the fourth generation of Soyuz spacecraft designed for human spaceflight. It successfully transported three crew members to the Mir space station, where they conducted scientific research and maintained the orbital facility.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft had a mass of 7,150 kilograms at takeoff and was launched by a Soyuz-U2 rocket. It operated in low Earth orbit with an apoapsis of 390 kilometers, periapsis of 384 kilometers, and an orbital inclination of 51.65 degrees. The orbital period was 92.29 minutes, and the mission completed a total of 2,910 orbits before landing on July 9, 1994.

### Crew
The crew consisted of:
- Viktor Afanasyev: Spacecraft Commander
- Yury Usachov: Flight Engineer 1
- Valeri Polyakov: Research Cosmonaut

Polyakov's participation was particularly significant as he would later embark on the longest single spaceflight in history (438 days) aboard Mir after being delivered by Soyuz TM-18.

### Launch and Landing
Soyuz TM-18 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at Gagarin's Start on January 8, 1994. The mission duration was 15,726,421 seconds (approximately 182 days), concluding with a landing in Kazakhstan on July 9, 1994.

### Operational Context
The mission was operated by Roscosmos State Corporation and represented the transition from Soviet to Russian space operations following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. As a human spaceflight mission, it contributed to the ongoing operation of the Mir space station, which served as a precursor to the International Space Station.

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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/soyuz-tm-18.htm)