# Soyuz TMA-13M

> 2014 Russian crewed spaceflight to the ISS

**Wikidata**: [Q1628242](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1628242)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TMA-13M)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tma-13m

## Summary

Soyuz TMA-13M is a Soyuz TMA-M.

## Summary
Soyuz TMA-13M was a Russian crewed spaceflight launched on 28 May 2014 to transport three crew members to the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 40. It marked another mission in the ongoing Soyuz programme, which serves as a primary transport vehicle for ISS crew rotations.

## Key Facts
- Launch date: 28 May 2014  
- Landing date: 10 November 2014  
- Destination: International Space Station  
- Operator: Roscosmos State Corporation  
- Crew: Maksim Surayev (pilot in command), Gregory Reid Wiseman (Flight Engineer 1), Alexander Gerst (Flight Engineer 2)  
- Spacecraft model: Soyuz TMA-M  
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-FG  
- Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome ("Gagarin's Start")  
- Landing coordinates: 51.055033333333°N, 67.303833333333°E (Kazakhstan)  
- Mission duration: 14,284,860 seconds  

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Soyuz TMA-13M?  
A: Soyuz TMA-13M was a crewed spaceflight to the ISS, specifically to deliver Expedition 40 crew members for their long-duration stay on the station.  

### Q: How long did the mission last?  
A: The mission duration was 14,284,860 seconds, equivalent to approximately 165 days.  

### Q: Who were the crew members?  
A: The crew included Maksim Surayev (Russia), Gregory Reid Wiseman (USA), and Alexander Gerst (ESA), all serving as Flight Engineers for Expedition 40.  

### Q: Where did the spacecraft land?  
A: Soyuz TMA-13M landed in Kazakhstan at coordinates 51.055033333333°N, 67.303833333333°E.  

### Q: What spacecraft and launch vehicle were used?  
A: The mission utilized a Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft launched by a Soyuz-FG rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome.  

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TMA-13M was critical to maintaining the uninterrupted human presence aboard the International Space Station, which has been ongoing since November 2000. As part of the Soyuz programme, it demonstrated the reliability of Russia's spacecraft for long-duration crew transport, enabling continuous scientific research and international collaboration in microgravity environments. The mission also reinforced the Soyuz-FG's track record as a dependable launch vehicle for ISS crew rotations, a role vital to the station's operations amidst the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet.  

## Notable For
- International crew composition: Featuring astronauts from Russia, the USA, and the European Space Agency.  
- Precise orbital parameters: Maintained an orbit with 412 km periapsis and 417 km apoapsis around Earth.  
- Expedited ISS crew rotation: Delivered the first crew members for Expedition 40 within the 2014 launch window.  
- Soyuz TMA-M variant: Utilized the modernized Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft design.  

## Body
### Mission Overview
Soyuz TMA-13M launched on 28 May 2014 from Baikonur Cosmodrome's "Gagarin's Start" pad atop a Soyuz-FG rocket. It docked with the International Space Station to deliver its three-person crew for Expedition 40.  

### Crew and Operations
- **Commander**: Maksim Surayev (Roscosmos), Expedition 40 Pilot in Command  
- **Flight Engineer 1**: Gregory Reid Wiseman (NASA), Expedition 40 Flight Engineer  
- **Flight Engineer 2**: Alexander Gerst (ESA), Expedition 40 Flight Engineer  
The crew spent 165 days aboard the ISS, conducting research and station maintenance before returning to Earth on 10 November 2014.  

### Technical Specifications
- **Spacecraft**: Soyuz TMA-M  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Soyuz-FG  
- **Orbital Characteristics**:
  - Periapsis: 412 km (Earth orbit)  
  - Apoapsis: 417 km (Earth orbit)  
  - Inclination: 51.65°  
- **Mission Duration**: 14,284,860 seconds  
- **COSPAR ID**: 2014-031A  

### Mission Timeline
- **Launch**: 28 May 2014  
- **ISS Docking**: Briefly noted without specific date  
- **Undocking**: Briefly noted without specific date  
- **Landing**: 10 November 2014 at Kazakhstan coordinates 51.055033333333°N, 67.303833333333°E  

### Programme Context
Part of the Soyuz programme, which has served as Russia's primary crewed spaceflight system since 1967. This mission followed Soyuz TMA-12M and preceded Soyuz TMA-14M within the 2014 ISS crew rotation cycle.  

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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/soyuz-tma-13m.htm)