# Soyuz TM-24

> 1996 Russian crewed spaceflight to Mir

**Wikidata**: [Q533568](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q533568)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TM-24)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tm-24

## Summary
Soyuz TM-24 was a Russian crewed spaceflight mission to the Mir space station launched in 1996. It utilized a fourth-generation Soyuz-TM spacecraft and was part of the long-running Soyuz programme operated by the Roscosmos State Corporation.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** August 17, 1996
- **Landing Date:** March 2, 1997
- **Spacecraft Class:** Soyuz-TM (fourth generation)
- **Launch Vehicle:** Soyuz-U (Universal variant)
- **Mission Duration:** 16,997,173 seconds (approximately 196 days)
- **Takeoff Mass:** 7,150 kilograms
- **Orbits Completed:** 3,160
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome, Gagarin's Start
- **Landing Location:** Kazakhstan
- **COSPAR ID:** 1996-047A

## FAQs
### Q: Who were the crew members of Soyuz TM-24?
A: The mission was commanded by Valery Korzun, with Aleksandr Kaleri serving as Flight Engineer 1. The mission also included Research Cosmonauts Claudie Haigneré (during takeoff) and Reinhold Ewald (during landing).

### Q: What was the primary objective of the Soyuz TM-24 mission?
A: Soyuz TM-24 was a crewed mission designed to transport personnel to the Mir space station. It functioned as a satellite of Low Earth Orbit and was part of the broader Soyuz programme.

### Q: What were the orbital specifications of the Soyuz TM-24 spacecraft?
A: The spacecraft maintained an orbital period of 89.6 minutes with an inclination of 51.63 degrees. Its orbit reached an apoapsis of 287.4 km and a periapsis of 235.1 km relative to Earth.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TM-24 represents a significant operational period for the Mir space station during the mid-1990s. As the 24th mission in the Soyuz-TM series, it demonstrated the continued reliability of the fourth-generation Soyuz spacecraft and the Soyuz-U launch vehicle. The mission is notable for its international cooperation, facilitating the transport of research cosmonauts to and from the station. By completing over 3,000 orbits and spanning nearly 200 days, the mission contributed to the sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit and the ongoing scientific research conducted aboard Mir. It served as the direct successor to Soyuz TM-23 and was followed by Soyuz TM-25, maintaining the continuity of the Russian crewed spaceflight program.

## Notable For
- **Extended Duration:** Logged a total mission time of 16,997,173 seconds in space.
- **High Orbital Volume:** Successfully completed 3,160 orbits of the Earth.
- **Crew Rotation:** Featured a split research crew, with Claudie Haigneré participating in the launch and Reinhold Ewald participating in the landing.
- **Mission Overlap:** The flight was partially coincident with the Mir-Cassiopée mission.

## Body

### Mission Launch and Vehicle
Soyuz TM-24 launched on August 17, 1996, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place specifically at Gagarin's Start. The mission utilized the Soyuz-U "Universal" rocket design variant to carry the 7,150 kg Soyuz-TM spacecraft into Low Earth Orbit.

### Crew and Personnel
The mission was operated by the Roscosmos State Corporation with a multi-national crew presence:
*   **Valery Korzun:** Spacecraft Commander
*   **Aleksandr Kaleri:** Flight Engineer 1
*   **Claudie Haigneré:** Research Cosmonaut (Takeoff)
*   **Reinhold Ewald:** Research Cosmonaut (Landing)

### Orbital Parameters
The spacecraft operated as a satellite of Earth with the following technical specifications:
*   **Apoapsis:** 287.4 km
*   **Periapsis:** 235.1 km
*   **Orbital Inclination:** 51.63°
*   **Orbital Period:** 89.6 minutes
*   **Total Orbits:** 3,160 completed

### Landing and Recovery
The mission concluded on March 2, 1997, with a landing in Kazakhstan. The landing event was recorded at coordinates 47.82 latitude and 69.4 longitude. Upon its return, the mission was succeeded by the Soyuz TM-25 flight.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Soyuz TM-24",
  "description": "1996 Russian crewed spaceflight to Mir",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TM-24"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Human spaceflight"
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/soyuz-tm-24.htm)