# Soyuz TMA-3

> crewed spaceflight to the International Space Station

**Wikidata**: [Q1424715](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1424715)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_TMA-3)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-tma-3

## Summary
Soyuz TMA-3 was a crewed spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS) operated by the Roscosmos State Corporation. Launched on October 18, 2003, it served as a transport vehicle for Expedition 8 and was the third flight of the revised Soyuz-TMA spacecraft class.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** October 18, 2003
- **Landing Date:** April 30, 2004
- **Operator:** Roscosmos State Corporation
- **Launch Vehicle:** Soyuz-FG
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome (Gagarin's Start)
- **Mission Duration:** 16,828,392 seconds (approximately 194 days)
- **Orbits Completed:** 3,170
- **Call Sign:** Ingul
- **Spacecraft Class:** Soyuz-TMA
- **COSPAR ID:** 2003-047A

## FAQs
### Q: Who were the crew members of Soyuz TMA-3?
A: The mission was commanded by Aleksandr Kaleri, with Michael Foale serving as Flight Engineer 1; both were part of Expedition 8. The Flight Engineer 2 position was held by Pedro Duque during takeoff and André Kuipers during the landing phase.

### Q: What were the orbital specifications of the mission?
A: Soyuz TMA-3 operated in low Earth orbit with an apoapsis of 227 km and a periapsis of 193 km. It maintained an orbital inclination of 51.63° and completed a full orbital period every 88.5 minutes.

### Q: When did Soyuz TMA-3 dock with the International Space Station?
A: The spacecraft conducted docking and berthing operations with the International Space Station starting on October 20, 2003, and concluded that specific phase of the mission by October 28, 2003.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz TMA-3 was a vital mission for the continued operation of the International Space Station, providing the necessary transport and rotation for the Expedition 8 crew. As part of the Soyuz-TMA class, it represented a modernized revision of the Soyuz spacecraft, specifically designed to meet the requirements of international ISS missions. The mission demonstrated the reliability of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle and the infrastructure at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. By completing over 3,000 orbits and spending over 194 days in space, the vessel served as a critical link in maintaining a permanent human presence in low Earth orbit during a period of active international space exploration.

## Notable For
- **Expedition 8 Transport:** Successfully delivered Commander Aleksandr Kaleri and Flight Engineer Michael Foale to the ISS.
- **Split Crew Roles:** Utilized different personnel for the Flight Engineer 2 role during the mission's start (Pedro Duque) and conclusion (André Kuipers).
- **Revised Spacecraft Class:** One of the early missions to utilize the Soyuz-TMA revision of the standard Soyuz spacecraft.
- **High Orbital Volume:** Completed exactly 3,170 orbits of the Earth before its landing in Kazakhstan.

## Body
### Mission Launch and Vehicle
Soyuz TMA-3 was launched on October 18, 2003, from "Gagarin's Start" at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission utilized the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle, a class of rocket with a high success rate for crewed missions. The spacecraft itself belonged to the Soyuz-TMA class, a specific revision of the long-running Soyuz spacecraft series.

### Crew Composition
The mission's crew was organized to support the International Space Station's Expedition 8:
*   **Aleksandr Kaleri:** Served as the Spacecraft Commander.
*   **Michael Foale:** Served as Flight Engineer 1.
*   **Pedro Duque:** Served as Flight Engineer 2 specifically for the takeoff portion of the mission.
*   **André Kuipers:** Served as Flight Engineer 2 for the landing portion of the mission.

### Orbital Operations
The spacecraft reached a low Earth orbit with an apoapsis of 227 km and a periapsis of 193 km. During its 194-day mission, it completed 3,170 orbits. The orbital inclination was recorded at 51.63°, a standard trajectory for reaching the International Space Station. The mission's call sign was "Ingul."

### Docking and Landing
Soyuz TMA-3 docked with the International Space Station on October 20, 2003. Following the completion of its mission objectives, the spacecraft performed a landing in Kazakhstan on April 30, 2004. The landing site was located at coordinates 50.65° N, 67.45° E.

### Mission Identifiers
The mission is tracked under several international cataloging systems:
*   **COSPAR ID:** 2003-047A
*   **NSSDCA ID:** 2003-047A
*   **SCN (Satellite Catalog Number):** 28052

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  "description": "A crewed spaceflight mission to the International Space Station and the third flight of the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft.",
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. [Source](https://russianrockets.net/reginfo/118973)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=12705)
5. [Source](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Cervantes_Mission/Cervantes_mission_concludes_with_Soyuz_TMA-2_landing)
6. [Source](http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10594)
7. [Source](http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/soyuz-tma-3.htm)