# Soyuz TM-3

> soviet space mission

**Wikidata**: [Q847619](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q847619)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TM-3)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tm-3

## Summary
Soyuz TM-3 was a 1987 Soviet crewed spaceflight using a Soyuz-TM spacecraft, launched on 22 July 1987 and landed on 29 December 1987. The mission was operated by the Soviet space program, launched from Gagarin's Start at Baikonur on a Soyuz-U2 rocket, and completed 2,580 orbits of low Earth orbit.

## Key Facts
- Soyuz TM-3 was a crewed mission of the Soyuz-TM class (fourth-generation Soyuz) and an instance of human spaceflight.  
- Launch date: 1987-07-22 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Gagarin's Start.  
- Landing date: 1987-12-29; location of landing: Kazakhstan.  
- Mission duration: 13,850,756 seconds.  
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U2.  
- Spacecraft mass at takeoff: 7,100 kilograms.  
- Orbit: low Earth orbit with periapsis 297 km, apoapsis 352 km, orbital period 91.0 minutes, inclination 51.63°.  
- Orbits completed: 2,580.  
- COSPAR ID: 1987-063A.  
- Crew (roles noted): Aleksandr Viktorenko (spacecraft commander at takeoff), Muhammed Faris Al-Aqidi (Research Cosmonaut at takeoff), Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov (Flight Engineer 1), Yury Romanenko (spacecraft commander at landing), Anatolii Levchenko (Research Cosmonaut at landing).  
- Preceded by: Soyuz TM-2. Followed by: Soyuz TM-4.  
- Operator: Soviet space program.  
- Part of: Soyuz programme.  
- Aliases: 联盟TM-3号, سويوز TM-٣.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Soyuz TM-3?
A: Soyuz TM-3 was a Soviet crewed space mission in 1987 using a Soyuz-TM spacecraft, launched on 22 July 1987 and landed on 29 December 1987 after operating in low Earth orbit.

### Q: Who flew on Soyuz TM-3?
A: Crew members included Aleksandr Viktorenko (commander at takeoff), Muhammed Faris Al-Aqidi (Research Cosmonaut at takeoff), Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov (Flight Engineer 1), with Yury Romanenko (commander at landing) and Anatolii Levchenko (Research Cosmonaut at landing) noted for the landing complement.

### Q: What rocket and launch site were used?
A: Soyuz TM-3 launched on a Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, specifically from Gagarin's Start.

### Q: What orbit did Soyuz TM-3 operate in?
A: The mission operated in low Earth orbit with a periapsis of about 297 km, an apoapsis of about 352 km, an orbital period near 91.0 minutes, and an inclination of 51.63°.

### Q: How long did the mission last?
A: The recorded mission duration is 13,850,756 seconds, during which Soyuz TM-3 completed 2,580 orbits.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TM-3 is a representative mission of the Soviet human spaceflight effort in the late 1980s and a practical example of the Soyuz-TM spacecraft class in operational use. The mission demonstrates the routine long-duration capabilities of Soyuz-TM hardware and the supporting Soyuz-U2 launch vehicle, executing multi-month operations in low Earth orbit with a multi-person crew and exchanging personnel between takeoff and landing complements. Its orbital parameters and mission statistics—thousands of orbits, an orbital inclination of 51.63°, and a mass at takeoff of 7,100 kg—illustrate the technical baseline for crewed Soviet missions of that era. The flight is also notable for including international crew representation among its personnel, and for fitting into the continuous cadence of Soyuz programme missions, directly following Soyuz TM-2 and preceding Soyuz TM-4. As part of the broader Soyuz programme, Soyuz TM-3 contributed to sustained human presence capabilities in low Earth orbit and informed operational procedures for crew exchange, spacecraft performance, and long-duration mission logistics.

## Notable For
- Launch and operation of a Soyuz-TM (fourth-generation Soyuz) spacecraft on 22 July 1987.  
- Use of the Soyuz-U2 launch vehicle from Gagarin's Start at Baikonur.  
- Mission duration recorded as 13,850,756 seconds with 2,580 completed orbits.  
- Crew composition showing different commanders for takeoff (Aleksandr Viktorenko) and landing (Yury Romanenko), indicating a crew exchange.  
- Carried a research cosmonaut listed as Muhammed Faris Al-Aqidi on takeoff.

## Body

### Overview
- Name: Soyuz TM-3.  
- Instance of: Soyuz-TM (human spaceflight).  
- Operator: Soviet space program.  
- Part of the Soyuz programme.  
- COSPAR ID: 1987-063A.

### Timeline
- Launch: 22 July 1987 from Baikonur Cosmodrome (Gagarin's Start).  
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch (Gagarin's Start, 1987-07-22).  
- Landing: 29 December 1987 in Kazakhstan.  
- Significant event recorded: landing (Kazakhstan, 1987-12-29).  
- Time of object orbit decay entry: 1987 (as recorded).

### Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle
- Spacecraft type: Soyuz-TM (fourth-generation Soyuz).  
- Spacecraft mass at takeoff: 7,100 kg.  
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U2.  
- Start point: Baikonur Cosmodrome, qualifier Gagarin's Start.

### Crew and Roles
- Aleksandr Viktorenko — spacecraft commander (applies to takeoff).  
- Muhammed Faris Al-Aqidi — Research Cosmonaut (applies to takeoff).  
- Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov — Flight Engineer 1.  
- Yury Romanenko — spacecraft commander (applies to landing).  
- Anatolii Levchenko — Research Cosmonaut (applies to landing).

### Orbit and Performance
- Orbit regime: low Earth orbit.  
- Periapsis (Earth): 297 km.  
- Apoapsis (Earth): 352 km.  
- Orbital period: 91.0 minutes.  
- Orbital inclination: 51.63°.  
- Orbits completed during mission: 2,580.

### Mission Statistics and Identifiers
- Mission duration: 13,850,756 seconds.  
- SCN (spacecraft/craft number): 18222.  
- Freebase ID: /m/03g_vz.  
- Wikipedia title: Soyuz TM-3.  
- Commons category and mission patch available: Soyuz TM-3 (mission patch image file path recorded).

### Program Context
- Preceded by: Soyuz TM-2.  
- Followed by: Soyuz TM-4.  
- Part of the sustained Soyuz programme operations in the Soviet human spaceflight effort.

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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-3.htm)