Expedition EO-7

Crew & mission data: No.: 1 2 Exp.crew:  Manakov, Gennadi  Strekalov, Gennadi Job:  CDR  Flight Engineer Launch vehicle:  Soyuz TM-10  Soyuz TM-10 Docking date/time:  03 Aug 1990 - 11:45:44  03 Aug 1990 - 11:45:44 Undocking date/time:  10 Dec 1990 - 02:48:11  10 Dec 1990 - 02:48:11 Landing vehicle:  Soyuz TM-10  Soyuz TM-10 Mir-mission duration:  130d 20h 36m?  130d 20h 36m? Orbits:  2070?  2070?

EVA data:

Mission details:

• Mir Expedition EO-07
• seventh resident crew of MIR spacestation; scientific work (astrophysical, geophysical, space materials science, biological and biotechnological research and experiments) performed in the Soyuz TM-10-Quant-MIR-Quant2-Kristall complex.
• Soyuz TM-10 was launched Aug 1, 1990 with crew Gennadiy Manakov and Gennadiy Strekalov.
• Soyuz TM-10 docked with Mir on Aug 3. The new crew, Manakov and Strekalov, have taken over the station. The Soyuz TM-9 crew, Solov′yov and Balandin, are preparing to return to Earth.
• Mir complex current configuration:
  • Mir port 1: Soyuz TM-9
  • Mir port 2: Kvant (port 1)
  • Mir port 3: Kvant-2 (port 1)
  • Mir port 4: Kristall (port 1)
  • Mir port 5: (vacant)
  • Mir port 6: (vacant)
  • Kvant port 2: Soyuz TM-10
  • Kvant-2 SPK port: SPK maneuvring unit?
  • Kristall port 2+: (vacant)

                                            ___
                                           / 2 \
                                           \   /
                                          ------- 
                                      |  /       \
                                      |  |       |
                                      |  |   |   |
                                      |  |   |   |
                                      |  |   |   |
                                      | /Kristall \
                ______  _____________ | \_       _/
  |\_____  __  _|     \ |            \|___\_1___/__  _____/|
  |TM10| \/  \|  Kvant ||    Mir          \/4-\ /  \/ |TM9 |
  | ___|_/\__/|_2     1||2            ____    1|\__/\_|___ |
  |/            |     / |             ____/\3_/           \|
                ------  |____________/   _/---- \_
                                        /   1     \
                                        \_Kvant-2_/
                                         |       |
                                         |       |
                                         |   |   |
                                         |   |   |
                                    SPK  |       |
                                       []|       |
                                          \_____/
                                          |-----|
                                          
  

  
  
• Progress M-4 was launched on Aug 15, 1990 and docked on Aug 17 at the forward port.
• The Progress M-5 automatic cargo was launched on Sep 27, 1990 and docked at Mir's forward port on Sep 29.
• Progress M-5 carries a VBS (Vosvrashchaemaya Ballisticheskaya Kapsula) ballistic recovery capsule which will carry the results of materials processing experiments carried out in the Kristall module back to a landing in Kazakhstan.
• Progress M-5 used its engine to raise the Mir complex orbit on Oct 1, 1990 from 370x406 km to 373x420 km.
• The spacewalk has been delayed to Oct 30 because Strekalov has a cold.
• EVA on Oct 29, 1990 (3h 45m) repairing work on damaged hatch; the cosmonauts failed to repair the Kvant-2 EVA hatch.
• Soyuz TM-11 was launched on Dec 02, 1990 at 0813 UT, carrying Afanas′ev, Manarov and Akiyama toward the Mir/Kvant/Kvant-2/Kristall/Soyuz TM-10 complex to join Manakov and Strekalov. Their launch means that 12 people are now in orbit, which is a record. Manakov, Strekalov and Akiyama will return to Earth in Soyuz TM-10, with Afanas′ev and Manarov remaining in orbit.
• Soyuz TM-11 docked with Mir′s forward port on Dec 4. Manakov, Strekalov and Akiyama returned to Earth on Dec 10 in Soyuz TM-10.

Astrophilately covers:

Cosmic Mail: Cover with 2 black Mir boardcancel, EVA date boardcancel: 281090, signed by the crew on board.