André Kuipers' Soyuz
The Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule is the spacecraft in which ESA astronaut André Kuipers made his second journey to the International Space Station (ISS).
What is the Soyuz?
The Soyuz is a spacecraft consisting of three modules. Space Expo has one of these modules in its collection. The first design dates back to 1962, when the Soviet Union intended to use the spacecraft to travel to the Moon. However, this never happened.
One of the highlights of our collection, the original Soyuz TMA-03M, carried ESA astronaut André Kuipers and two fellow astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011 and brought them safely back to Earth in 2012. The capsule spent 193 days in space.
What did the Soyuz do in space?
- The Soyuz transported astronauts to the ISS and brought them safely back to Earth.
- Docked to the ISS: After the crew arrived, the Soyuz remained docked to the space station for several months, serving as an emergency escape vehicle.
Did you know...
The impressive marks left by the capsule's return through Earth's atmosphere are still visible on its exterior. During re-entry, the capsule was exposed to extreme temperatures caused by its high-speed passage through the atmosphere.
The Soyuz capsule is so compact that the available space inside is smaller than the back seat of an average car.
Thanks to a large viewing window, visitors can also take a look inside the capsule, including the reclining seats and the cockpit where the astronauts travelled.
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