Soyuz TMA-15M Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Soyuz TMA-15M
Spacecraft properties
Soyuz TMA-15M undocks from the ISS, 11 June 2015.

Mission type	ISS crew transport
Operator	Roskosmos
Mission duration	199d 16h 42m 46s


Spacecraft	Soyuz 11F732A47 No.715
Spacecraft type	Soyuz-TMA 11F747
Manufacturer	RKK Energia


Crew
Crew size	3
Members	Anton Shkaplerov Samantha Cristoforetti Terry W. Virts, Jr.
Callsign	Астрей ("Astraeus")


Start of mission
Launch date	23 November 2014 21:00:14 UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-FG
Launch site	Baikonur 31/6


End of mission
Landing date	11 June 2015 13:44 UTC


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth


Docking with ISS
Docking port	Rassvet nadir
Docking date	24 November 2014 02:49 UTC
Undocking date	11 June 2015 10:20 UTC
Time docked	199 days, 7 hours, 31 minutes

(l-r) Shkaplerov, Cristoforetti and Virts Soyuz programme (Crewed missions) ← Soyuz TMA-14M Soyuz TMA-16M →

Soyuz TMA-15M was a space mission in 2014. It took three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). This was the 124th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft. The first Soyuz flight happened way back in 1967.

The Soyuz TMA-15M stayed connected to the ISS for many months. It acted like a "lifeboat" in case of an emergency. The spacecraft returned to Earth in June 2015. It brought the crew safely home after their long stay in space.

Meet the Crew of Soyuz TMA-15M
- Who Were the Main Crew Members?
- Who Were the Backup Crew Members?
Key Moments of the Mission
- How Did the Launch and Docking Happen?
- When Did the Crew Return to Earth?
Images for kids
See also

Meet the Crew of Soyuz TMA-15M

This mission carried three brave astronauts to the International Space Station. They were part of Expedition 42, a team of astronauts living and working in space.

Who Were the Main Crew Members?

Position	Crew Member
Commander	Anton Shkaplerov, RSA Expedition 42 Second spaceflight
Flight Engineer 1	Samantha Cristoforetti, ESA Expedition 42 First spaceflight
Flight Engineer 2	Terry W. Virts, Jr., NASA Expedition 42 Second and last spaceflight

Anton Shkaplerov from Russia was the Commander. This was his second trip to space.
Samantha Cristoforetti from Italy was a Flight Engineer. She was on her first space mission.
Terry W. Virts, Jr. from the USA was also a Flight Engineer. This was his second and final space journey.

Who Were the Backup Crew Members?

Backup crews train just like the main crew. They are ready to fly if someone from the main crew cannot.

Position	Crew Member
Commander	Oleg Kononenko, RSA
Flight Engineer 1	Kimiya Yui, JAXA
Flight Engineer 2	Kjell N. Lindgren, NASA

Oleg Kononenko (Russia) was the backup Commander.
Kimiya Yui (Japan) was the backup Flight Engineer 1.
Kjell N. Lindgren (USA) was the backup Flight Engineer 2.

Key Moments of the Mission

The Soyuz TMA-15M mission had several important stages. These included its launch, arriving at the ISS, and its return to Earth.

How Did the Launch and Docking Happen?

The Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft launched successfully. It lifted off on a Soyuz-FG rocket. The launch site was the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This happened at 9:01 PM UTC on Sunday, November 23, 2014.

About nine minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft reached low Earth orbit. This is where the ISS flies. The Soyuz then performed special maneuvers to catch up to the space station. It docked with the International Space Station at 2:49 AM UTC on November 24. The hatch opened at 5:00 AM UTC, allowing the crew to enter the ISS.

The Soyuz TMA-15M was planned to stay docked to the ISS. It served as an emergency escape vehicle for the crew. Its return was first set for May 2015. However, the landing was delayed until June 2015.

When Did the Crew Return to Earth?

The Soyuz TMA-15M undocked from the ISS at 10:20 AM UTC on June 11, 2015. Anton Shkaplerov, Samantha Cristoforetti, and Terry Virts were inside.

After undocking, the spacecraft performed a special engine burn. This slowed it down and allowed it to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. The crew landed safely in Kazakhstan at 1:44 PM UTC on June 11. This was just over three hours after leaving the ISS.