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Origin of the Soyuz spacecraft

Conceived in 1960, the Soyuz spacecraft became the second-generation Soviet vehicle capable of carrying humans into space. Unlike its predecessor -- a one-seat Vostok -- the Soyuz would be able to conduct active maneuvering, orbital rendezvous and docking. These capabilities were all necessary for a flight around the Moon and to support lunar landing. In the early scenario of a "circumlunar" mission, defined in 1962, the Soyuz complex would be assembled in the low-Earth orbit out of three consecutively launched elements.

7K-OK: Original Soyuz

The first Soyuz spacecraft to reach space was designed specifically for the missions in the Earth orbit. Designated 7K-OK, it would be used for "rehearsals" for the lunar expedition. The first unmanned Soyuz, officially identified as Cosmos-133, blasted off on Nov. 28, 1966. Then, the first manned mission in April 1967 ended in tragedy, when the reentry capsule with Vladimir Komarov onboard crashed on landing, as a result of the parachute system failure.

In depth: Mission of Soyuz-1

7K-L3 (LOK): Soyuz for the Moon

In parallel with the development of the 7K vehicle, the Soviet designers worked on a spacecraft designated LOK -- essentially the Soyuz "on steroids," which would be capable of carrying two Soviet cosmonauts into orbit around the Moon. During expeditions on the lunar surface, LOK would play a role of the "mother" spacecraft for the LK lander, which would deliver one crewmember on the surface of the Moon.

L1: Around the Moon

An "abbreviated" version of the Soyuz spacecraft, designated L1, was developed for a circumlunar mission launched by the Proton rocket. Officially identified as Zond, the L1 spacecraft was essentially the Soyuz, minus a habitation module. Several L1 vehicles flew unmanned, with mixed results; however the program was ultimately canceled, as it fell behind American Apollo missions.

7K: Soyuz for the station

With the end of the Moon Race, the USSR quietly shifted its focus in manned spaceflight to the Earth-orbiting station. Accordingly, the Soyuz was re-tailored for the role of a ferry, capable of delivering a crew of three to the orbital outpost. The first such vehicle, designated Soyuz-10, flew in 1971. However the same year, mission of Soyuz-11, ended in disaster, when its three cosmonauts died as a result of a decompression of their reentry capsule on the way home. In the wake of the catastrophe, the crew size onboard Soyuz was reduced to two to save weight for the protective pressure suits and related safety gear onboard.

Soyuz T: Transport

Inaugurated in 1978, the Soyuz T spacecraft, (T stands for "transport") featured a brand-new motion control system, using a digital computer; a modified propulsion system with an integrated fuel supply system for all engines. Many onboard systems were replaced with newer, better ones. Combined, these modifications allowed to increase the size of the crew back to three, this time pressure suits included. The orbital lifespan of the spacecraft was also increased. In 1980, the Soyuz T carried crew into orbit for the first time.

Soyuz TM: Modified

The TM modification of the Soyuz spacecraft, where M stands for "modified," sported the Kurs advanced rendezvous radio system, modified motion control system and radio communication system. It was also equipped with a thruster assembly with segmented propellant and gas stores. The vehicle was launched for the first time unmanned in 1986 toward the Mir space station, and carried its first crew to Mir in 1987. The TM version also became a base for the Progress M series of cargo carriers.

NEW (Nov. 26): Bigger Soyuz

In October 1991, during a meeting with Boeing representatives (the main station contractor) the head of NPO Energia Yuri Semenov offered the company's Soyuz spacecraft to serve as a "lifeboat" for Space Station Freedom. On June 18, 1992, NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and Director General of the Russian Space Agency Yuri Koptev "ratified" a contract between NASA and NPO Energia to study possible use of Soyuz and Russian docking port in the Freedom project.

Soyuz TMA: Anthropometric

The Soyuz TMA, or "anthropometric" version was designed within US-Russian cooperative program on the International Space Station, ISS. "Anthropometric" upgrades mostly aimed to allow taller crewmembers to fly the Soyuz. The production of the TMA spacecraft, however, was stalled by non-payments by the Russian government to the RKK Energia at the end of the 1990s. Ironically, NASA, which originally ordered the upgrades, at one point, refused to pay for the development of the TMA, until Russia insures the production of the spacecraft. After many delays, the TMA finally flew in 2002.

Soyuz ACTS: Back to the Moon

The Advanced Crew Transportation System, ACTS, also known as "Euro-Soyuz," emerged during 2006, when Russian company RKK Energia realized that its proposals to replace the Soyuz spacecraft with the Kliper reusable glider would be too ambitious for the current level of funding of the Russian space industry. Instead, a modified Soyuz, with the capability of reaching lunar orbit, would serve as a technological bridge, possibly paving the way to the future development of the Kliper.

After tomorrow: Lunar tug

In mid-2000s, improving economic outlook for the Russian economy and slowly growing space budget perhaps encouraged RKK Energia to dust off its old plans for building a lunar base. One concept for a lunar transport would include a combination of a Soyuz-derived reentry vehicle with the large habitation section, based on the cabin module of a proposed Kliper reusable orbiter.

A classical seven-ton Soyuz vehicle consists of three major components, providing for every stage of flight from orbital insertion to landing. To protect the ship's systems from extreme temperature swings in space, all its surfaces exposed to space, except for active elements of sensors, antennas, windows, the docking hardware, thruster nozzles and radiator panels, are blanketed by multilayer vacuum-screen thermal insulation.

NEW, April 7: Emergency escape system

The habitation section of the Soyuz spacecraft, carries crucial life-support systems for the crew, including toilet and water supplies. It also provides extra habitation room during the flight and can serve as an airlock for space walks. In most missions, the front end of the habitation section is equipped with docking hardware, allowing the crew to remain

The reentry capsule of the Soyuz spacecraft, known by its Russian acronym as "SA." is the only section of the vehicle, which returns to Earth at the end of the mission. It contains two or three personally contoured couches where the cosmonauts recline for ascent, descent and landing. Seats are facing controls and displays used for all critical flight activities.

The instrument module of the Soyuz spacecraft, known by its Russian acronym as PAO, or Priborno-Agregatniy Otsek, in its turn is subdivided into three main sections: Intermediate compartment, Instrumentation compartment, PO, and Propulsion compartment, AO.

From 1971 and well into the 21st century, the Soyuz spacecraft's main role in the Russian space program was to deliver crews to space stations in the low-Earth orbit. The Soyuz could remain in space up to 200 days, when docked to the station and it could orbit the Earth in the autonomous flight for 4.2 days. The autonomous flight would normally be split into two phases: a 2.2-day period spent from launch to docking with the station, and a several-hour long period from undocking to landing with a built-in reserve of two days.