# Soyuz TM-4

> soviet human spaceflight

**Wikidata**: [Q904285](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q904285)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TM-4)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tm-4

## Summary
Soyuz TM-4 was a Soviet human spaceflight mission launched on December 21, 1987, as part of the Soyuz programme. It transported crew to the Mir space station and marked the fourth mission in the Soyuz-TM series, a fourth-generation Soyuz spacecraft.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: December 21, 1987, from Baikonur Cosmodrome (Gagarin's Start).
- **Landing Date**: June 17, 1988, in Kazakhstan.
- **Crew**: Vladimir Titov (commander), Musa Manarov (Flight Engineer 1), and Anatolii Levchenko (Research Cosmonaut) at launch; Anatoly Solovyev (commander), Viktor Savinykh (Flight Engineer 1), and Aleksandr Aleksandrov (Research Cosmonaut) at landing.
- **Spacecraft**: Soyuz-TM, a fourth-generation Soyuz spacecraft.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket.
- **Duration**: 15,461,669 seconds (approximately 178 days).
- **Orbital Parameters**: Apoapsis of 357 km, periapsis of 337 km, inclination of 51.64 degrees, orbital period of 91.5 minutes.
- **Mission**: Part of the Soyuz programme, preceding Soyuz TM-5 and following Soyuz TM-3.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Soyuz TM-4?
A: Soyuz TM-4 was a crewed mission to the Mir space station, transporting cosmonauts for scientific research and station operations.

### Q: Who were the crew members of Soyuz TM-4?
A: The launch crew included Vladimir Titov, Musa Manarov, and Anatolii Levchenko. The landing crew consisted of Anatoly Solovyev, Viktor Savinykh, and Aleksandr Aleksandrov.

### Q: How long did Soyuz TM-4 stay in space?
A: The mission lasted approximately 178 days, from December 21, 1987, to June 17, 1988.

### Q: What type of spacecraft was used for Soyuz TM-4?
A: It used the Soyuz-TM spacecraft, a fourth-generation Soyuz vehicle designed for human spaceflight.

### Q: Where did Soyuz TM-4 launch and land?
A: It launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome (Gagarin's Start) and landed in Kazakhstan.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TM-4 played a crucial role in the Soviet space program by facilitating crew rotation and scientific research aboard the Mir space station. As part of the Soyuz-TM series, it demonstrated advancements in spacecraft technology, ensuring safer and more efficient human spaceflight. The mission contributed to long-duration spaceflight experience, which was vital for future space exploration, including international collaborations like the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, it highlighted the Soviet Union's capabilities in sustaining human presence in low Earth orbit, reinforcing its leadership in space exploration during the late 1980s.

## Notable For
- **Crew Rotation**: Facilitated the exchange of cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station.
- **Long-Duration Mission**: Lasted approximately 178 days, contributing to knowledge about extended human spaceflight.
- **Fourth-Generation Soyuz**: Part of the Soyuz-TM series, representing technological advancements in Soviet spacecraft design.
- **International Collaboration**: Laid groundwork for future cooperative space missions.
- **Scientific Research**: Enabled experiments and observations in microgravity aboard Mir.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Soyuz TM-4 was launched on December 21, 1987, from Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket. The mission was part of the Soyuz programme, a series of Soviet human spaceflight missions. It followed Soyuz TM-3 and preceded Soyuz TM-5.

### Crew Details
- **Launch Crew**:
  - Vladimir Titov (spacecraft commander)
  - Musa Manarov (Flight Engineer 1)
  - Anatolii Levchenko (Research Cosmonaut)
- **Landing Crew**:
  - Anatoly Solovyev (spacecraft commander)
  - Viktor Savinykh (Flight Engineer 1)
  - Aleksandr Aleksandrov (Research Cosmonaut)

### Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle
- **Spacecraft**: Soyuz-TM, a fourth-generation Soyuz spacecraft designed for human spaceflight.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Soyuz-U2, a carrier rocket used for Soviet space missions.

### Orbital Parameters
- **Apoapsis**: 357 km
- **Periapsis**: 337 km
- **Orbital Inclination**: 51.64 degrees
- **Orbital Period**: 91.5 minutes
- **Orbits Completed**: 2,890

### Mission Duration and Events
- **Duration**: 15,461,669 seconds (approximately 178 days).
- **Significant Events**:
  - Rocket launch from Gagarin's Start on December 21, 1987.
  - Landing in Kazakhstan on June 17, 1988.

### Technical Specifications
- **Mass at Takeoff**: 7,070 kg
- **COSPAR ID**: 1987-104A
- **Satellite Of**: Low Earth orbit

## Schema Markup
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  "name": "Soyuz TM-4",
  "description": "A Soviet human spaceflight mission launched on December 21, 1987, as part of the Soyuz programme.",
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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-4.htm)
4. BabelNet